Don't be scared
by Cheese1
Summary: Booth and Brennan are shocked about what just happened. Can they fix it?
1. Chapter 1

Well, now here is another one... this is not going to stay a one-shot, it's planned to be a shortie, consisting of two or three chapters... we will see.

I had to write this fanfiction, the scenario had been in my head for some days and I just had to get it out of there... it was starting to seriously bother me ;)  
…. I hope you like it, mind you it's scary...despite the title.

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**_Don't be scared…_**

They were staring at each other, eyes wide open, still in shock. His hand was still on her when she took one step back causing his hand to slip from her arm. The physical contact was broken, but they both knew they had a connection that did not need physical contact. Nonetheless they had just kissed.

They had come to the house of a suspect to interrogate him, but instead they had found a bomb. Booth instincts had been screaming at him, that something was wrong, when they had entered the house after ringing the bell several times without answer. He simply had felt, had known something was wrong. Without further ado he had grabbed his – cursing and complaining – partner by the arm and dragged her out... only moments before the hidden bomb exploded. The force of the explosion had sent them half-tumbling, half-flying towards Booth's black SUV.

He had held her as near as possible and only a heartbeat before they had hit the pavement in front of the house he had managed to turn around a bit, so that he could take the full force of their landing with his body rather then crushing her underneath him. Immediately after landing on the hard pavement, he had crouched over her, shielding her against the now falling bits and pieces of the house.

After a few seconds he had loosened his grip and stood up, extending a hand to her, frantically asking the same question over and over again: "Are you hurt, Bones, are you hurt?"

She had shook her head, a dull feeling numbing her brain, making it impossible to say a word, until he had helped her to her feet and she had seen the concern in his eyes. "Temperance, are you okay...Talk to me!" he had murmured and the sound of her given name had brought her brain back to work.

"I am okay. You... you just saved my life... you ... are you hurt, Booth? Are you okay?" Her eyes had darted over his features to make out a wound he may have received while shielding her from the falling pieces. She had seen that something had grazed his cheek, there had been a wound, nothing serious, but there had been blood. "You are bleeding." She had murmured and her hand had moved - as if on its own – to caress his cheek, to carefully wipe the blood away. That had been the moment time stopped.

The feeling of her hand touching his cheek had somehow changed the look in Booth's eyes and Brennan had felt a tingling sensation where her fingers made contact with his rough skin.

She had been lost in his deep, brown eyes and he had lost himself in her light blue ones. Somehow everything around had shut down, no sound, no feeling, no scent had reached them. Their faces had slowly moved closer and their lips had met. And both of them had felt their hearts beating in the same frantic rhythm.

Neither of them had the slightest idea how long it had lasted, but after sometime the lack of oxygen had forced them to break apart.

And now they were standing there, staring at each other, heavily panting, their hearts racing... not only caused by the bomb, but also by the kiss. It had been a hell of a kiss, something neither of them had ever experienced before.

Booth watched his partner taking another step back and he instantly knew that she would try to run... from him, from the kiss, from their feelings.

He had no illusions about what had just happened... somehow he had known his feelings for his partner had been steadily growing... from genuine respect, to deep friendship and now love. He loved her. He had never had the nerve to admit it to himself until now, until that very moment he still felt her lips on his.

"Bones..." he whispered, his voice hoarse. She took another step back, watching him like a rabbit might watch a snake: in panic.

"Bones... Temperance..." he addressed her again. But she just took another step back, and another until her back was pressed against his black SUV. She shook her head, her eyes still wide in shock.

"Temperance, please... don't run, don't be scared..." Booth murmured. He stayed where he was, he did not want to corner her, but he did not want to let her run either.

He watched his partner shaking her head again and when she finally said something, it was barely audible. "What did we just do?"

"Temperance... " He tried to talk to her, but by the look of the expression on her face her question had been rhetorical and unsurprisingly she murmured it again. "What did we just do?" The question was followed by a statement. "We are not supposed to... to do that."

Her voice was still a whisper, but he could make out every word, maybe because he knew her well enough to predict her reaction.

"Booth... what happened ...this is not..." She stopped and closed her eyes briefly and when she opened them again he could see that her fear had only deepened.

"Temperance... don't be afraid. It is okay. This is okay." Booth tried to calm her, in a low soothing voice.

She swallowed hard. "Booth... I... " She was not able to utter more, so she stopped and just stared at her partner.

"Temperance... I know you are scared. But there is no need to be scared. It's still just you and me, right?" he said, desperately trying to keep her from running away.

"We... What did we do, Booth. We are partners... we are not supposed to..." She covered her face with her hands.

"I know. But I don't care what we are supposed to do or not. And you never gave a damn about what people thought you were supposed to do or say. Just look at me now, Bones." He said, his tone serious, but full of warmth.

She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes and he continued. "This is just you and me, Bones, and we will find out what this means, okay? It is going to be okay... We are going to be okay. We always are. Come here..." He extended hand to her and when he saw her hesitation. "Call it guy hug, Bones... "

He smiled at her and the smile made her feel normal again. Booth had said they would figure it out and she had no doubts about it. They would. There was no doubt because she trusted Booth more than she had ever trusted anybody. She stepped into his embrace and felt his strong arms tighten around her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist. Then one of her hand slid a bit further up and made contact with something that should not be there. That was the moment time stopped again. Her fingers touched a big splinter of wood protruding of his back and while her brain was slowly processing this information, she thought Booth flinch a bit. Then suddenly she felt how he leaned heavily on her and he heard him choke out her name "Temperance." That single croak, her name, made her brain work faster again. 'Shock... he had not felt the injury because of shock' Her brain analysed.

She tried to hold him, but his weight was too much for her... so she did her best to let him slowly sink to the floor. His body curled lightly and he landed lying on his side. Which was a good thing, since the splinter in his back could have caused more damage otherwise.

Brennan's brain supplied her with information. The splinter was approximately one inch thick and a length from about four inches protruded from his back. She had no idea how deep the wood had been forced into his body. What she knew was, that there were several inner organs in the area, where the splinter had hit.

With shaking hands she fumbled out her cell phone and called 911, reporting Special Agent Seeley Booth seriously injured, crouching beside his body. He did not say a single word, so she assumed he was unconscious. But when she looked at his face, she knew that he was not.

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well now... what do you think, PLEASE let me know!!!!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

She looked into his half-open eyes and saw the pain in them. "Booth... I thought you were unconscious." Her voice was hardly more than a whisper.

"I have been... for a short moment... serious injury, hm? Care to fill me in?" His voice was rough with pain, but his words were somehow teasing.

Brennan gently placed a hand on his shoulder and started to explain: "There is a big splinter of wood in your back, Booth."

"It sure as hell feels so." He interrupted her.

She gave him a worried look and carefully asked: "Do you even want to know what it looks like?"

He briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He suddenly cringed in pain and took a mental note to keep his breathing shallow. "Sure" he coughed out. "After all it's MY injury."

"It's about an inch thick and I can see approximately four inches protruding from your back... I don't know how deep it went in. I... I don't want to touch it. It doesn't bleed too much at the moment, I guess the splinter seals the wounds pretty good at the moment... as long as you lie still, that is."

"I don't feel like moving, Bones..." he rasped.

She swallowed hard and avoided his gaze, avoided the pain that clearly showed in his brown eyes.

"I guess the shock is the reason why you did not feel the wound at first..." she added.

He closed his eyes briefly than said: "Well, call me Dracula." His eyes met hers and he saw the confusion and disbelief in the blue depths of her eyes. Despite his pain he had to smile... He should have known she would not get the reference.

"I've got something in my back that sounds an awful lot like a stake, Bones. Dracula, vampire, does it ring a bell?"

Now she was getting furious. "Booth... you could... This could be serious, how can you make jokes in a situation like that?"

"Don't worry...I am not going to die." His voice was hoarse, but it seemed he could control the pain better now.

"Nobody said something about dying!" she snapped, but somehow his statement lightened her heart a bit.

"You nearly said that I could die, Bones. Then you changed it into 'this could be serious'." He said and a small smile appeared on his face. "And I am making jokes, because we have to wait for the ambulance anyway... we might as well have fun."

"Fun" she muttered and shook her head, simply not able to understand this man.

Fascinated he watched her auburn locks glitter. Glitter? He squinted a bit and after some time he said: "Be careful, Bones. You've got glass shards in your hair."

His words made her stop in her movement and suddenly her face wore a look, Booth could not decipher. Her gaze fixed on him and he was startled to see her blue eyes brimming with tears, when she suddenly let out a sob. "How can you do that? God, how can you do that? You are hurt and you still worry about me? About these damn glass shards in my hair? Oh, Booth..." Her voice was thick with unshed tears ... and her emotionality took him completely by surprise. Booth was at a loss for words. He just stared at her, at her face he knew so well, but still he could not read it right now.

"It should be me lying here." She finally whispered, when the first tear found it's way down her dirty cheek. "You just got hit, because you wanted to protect me... to shield me."

He could not believe it... but he should have known it, after all it was just like Brennan to accuse herself for things nobody could control. Somehow it made him angry that she blamed herself.  
He snorted. "Stop that."

"What?" She sobbed, while wiping a tear away, smudging the stains that covered her skin.

"These goddamn self-accusations. It's not your fault, okay? Somebody placed a bomb, the house was blown up, I got hit. That's it. No fault on your side." He had to pause here, cause a sudden wave of pain hit him and he winced a bit. "Not your fault, got it?" he breathed when the moment had passed and the pain had subsided from hot, siring pain to the now familiar throbbing in his back.

She bit back her word of objection. After all he was in pain, lying in front of her, seriously hurt, who was she to argue with him right now? "Okay." She managed a tiny whisper.

"Good." He gave back and closed his eyes as another wave of pain hit him. "Damn." He pressed through gritted teeth.

"Would you... would you hold my hand, Bones?" he asked, his eyes still closed. He felt her trembling, but warm hand covering his cold and clammy one.

When he opened his eyes again, his view was a bit blurred, but he could still make out the worried look on his partner's face. "I have to admit, it hurts pretty bad." His words sounded a bit slurred and his voice was weaker than before.

Brennan swallowed hard.  
"Stay awake, Booth... look at me." She said, her voice stern, but also full of concern for him. "They are coming, can you hear it?" True enough, he could make out the faint sound of sirens.

"Bones... tell Cullen, what happened. This is... a crime scene... They.." He could not finish his sentence as they pain caused him to clench his teeth again.

"Shhhh. Don't waste your energy, Booth. I know what to do, okay? I'll call Cullen, they will collect all the evidence. Just stay awake, for me, will you?" She forced herself to sound as assuring and calming as possible. The sound of sirens came nearer, giving her hope.

Booth's vision blurred even more, but he could still see his partner's face, her blue eyes and he tried to cling to them, tried to hold on to the startling blue, to not drift away into unconsciousness.

A weary, tiny smile crept on his face when he recalled the kiss they had shared. He opened his mouth to tell her, how much he had enjoyed kissing her... but no words left his mouth... Instead he started to cough. He did not need to hear Brennan's shocked, sharp intake of breath to know that he was coughing blood. The sour, metallic taste in his mouth was evidence enough.

The last thing he heard was his partner's clear voice, nearly drowned out be the sound of sirens, saying: "Don't be scared, Booth, I am here."

Brennan repeated the sentence over and over, although she knew he could not hear it anymore in his unconscious state. But she needed to hear the words herself. To believe in them.

When the ambulance arrived, they gently removed her hand from his. They led her a few feet away and asked her questions on what had happened, if she was hurt... she answered them in a robotic way, her gaze all the time fixed on the still figure of her partner.

During the ride in the ambulance he did not even stir once and she was sitting beside him, holding his lifeless, clammy hand, while the paramedics were doing what little they could do. She did not know it, but the paramedics later told her, she had started to mutter "Don't be scared, I am here." over and over again.


	3. Chapter 3

Again, thank you all for reviewing, it really, really means a lot to me!!!!

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Chapter 3:

The ride to the hospital took only about ten minutes, but to Temperance Brennan it seemed like an eternity.

She looked at the pale face of her partner and realised she had never seen him looking so weak and vulnerable. When the bomb in her fridge had blown him up, he had been hurt and unconscious too, but there was something distinctive about a face paled by severe blood loss. She clenched her teeth when the sudden knowledge hit her. He looked like somebody who was bleeding to death, but he had not lost great amounts of blood.

At least not visibly. The wood in his back still sealed the outer part of the wound, but he had to have internal bleedings... the blood he had been coughing up only confirmed it.

A sudden tremble shook her body and caused the EMT on her left side to look up. "Are you okay, Miss Brennan?" She bit back a sob and nodded curtly.

She wanted to shout 'Okay? No, Booth could be bleeding to death, how can I be okay?'

But she had to stay calm and composed, had to fight the urge to break down.

She had to try to give her best, because that was what Booth deserved: her best and nothing less.

When they finally reached the hospital, Booth was rushed inside the ER by the EMTs, a doctor and a nurse meeting them halfway. Brennan heard the EMTs briefing the doctor on Booth's condition and she closed her eyes when she heard the words.

"Male, 35 years. Wound in the back, caused by a big splinter of wood during an explosion, breathing shallow, hypotensive..."

The voices faded away and Brennan caught a last glimpse of Booth's pale face, when they disappeared around a corner.

All she wanted to do, was to follow them, to hold on to him, but another nurse held her back, asking her to fill out a form. She nodded, back to her robotic state again. When she stared down on the form in her hand she suddenly remembered she had a call to make.

She pulled out her cell phone and murmured: "I have to make a call..." The nurse nodded and answered. "Outside please, we do not want to risk interference with our devices."

Brennan walked outside and took a deep breath. It was a beautiful day, the sunshine warm on her face... as if the weather itself wanted to mock her. She clenched her teeth and called Cullen.

As calm as possible she reported the incident and told Cullen that the crime scene needed to be secured. She managed to fight back the tears that threatened to come while describing Booth's injury and asked Cullen to inform the mother of Booth's son and also his parents. She listened to Cullen as he swore and confirmed that he would take care of the crime scene and of informing Rebecca and Booth's family. He told her to keep him informed on Booth's condition and she assured him that she would call him.

When he hung up and the line went dead she remained there, the mobile phone still at her ear, the sunshine warming her face. She did not move, she did not even breathe, she just stood there, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular.

She only heard Cullen's words in her head repeating themselves over and over again:

"I don't want to lose Booth, he's a fine agent and not replaceable."

And she knew, he truly was not replaceable... especially not to her.

She did not notice that tears had started to stream down her face. The sound of a car honking somewhere near startled her and she suddenly realised that she had not moved, that she still was clutching her phone, pressing it to her ear. Still oblivious to her own tears she reluctantly lowered her hand and stared down on the mobile... a drop of water suddenly appeared on the display, soon followed by another.

She briefly wondered how it could be raining on a sunny day, until she recognised her own tears.

All the sobs that had threatened to come earlier, were brought up in a sudden outburst. She fell to her knees and her tear-blurred gaze rose to the blue sky. 'I never believed in a higher being... but he does. So if you are there, help him, God, please help him to be strong.' She formed the words in her head without hesitation and repeated them again in a low murmur.

After all, it could not hurt, could it?

A few minutes later she managed to rise to her feet again. Her trembling hand pressed a speed-dial button on her phone and she waited for her best friend to answer.

A merry voice asked: "Hi, Sweetie, you need something?"

"Ange." She croaked out and swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat, blocking the words.

"Bren, Bren, what's wrong?" Angela immediately knew something had to be wrong when she heard her best friends voice, full of despair, croaking out her name.

"Booth. There was an explosion. He got hurt... oh, Angela... it's bad, Ange... I don't know if he..." She could not say anymore, sobs interrupting her words.

She could hear Angela's shocked exclaim, soon followed by soothing words. Somehow she managed to answer Angela's question on where she was and the last words before the line went dead were:

"I am coming, Sweetie, you don't have to go through this alone, okay?"

Brennan tugged her phone back into her pocket and wiped her cheeks dry, using the sleeve of her jacket. She had to pull herself together, she had to go back and be there for him.

Determined she went back inside the building again... to the blank form, that still waited for her.

She took a seat and accepted a pen from the young nurse, that later shot her concerned side-glances from time to time, while she carefully filled the blank spaces on the form with information on her partner.

When a doctor appeared in the doorway, asking for her, she tried to steel herself for bad news. She took a step towards the doctor, who's face gave nothing away.

"I am Doctor Reeves. You came here with Mr. Booth?" he asked her and she nodded briefly. "But you are not family, are you?"

She shook her head and quickly added. "He works for the FBI. He is my partner... and my friend."

The doctor nodded and motioned for her to take a seat again. She nervously clenched her fists and waited for him to tell her about her partner.

"Your partner is in surgery right now. We were not able to verify the exact extent of his injuries, that is for the surgeons to discover when they remove the piece of wood. What we know is, that he has severe inner bleedings... that's why he coughed up blood. We are pretty sure that the milt has to be removed and other organs may be injured too. That's why we do not really know how his prospects are or how long he will be in surgery. But I can assure you, that we will do all we can to save his life.

His family has been made aware of the... situation?"

Brennan only nodded, unable to form a word.

"Good" the Dr. Reeves continued "Are they going to come here?"

Brennan licked her dry lips and thought about it for a moment. "His parents and his brother won't be able to come here until tomorrow, I fear. His son lives nearby, but he's only 5 years old... His mother has been informed... but... I don't think she will drag him here until we know more..."

"No wife, girlfriend...?" Doctor Reeves asked and she shook her head, biting her lip, remembering the kiss they had shared earlier this day... it seemed to have happened a lifetime ago.

The doctor nodded in understanding. "Okay, so I will keep you informed on the progress of the surgery. In case the family arrives, please tell one of the nurses and I will come to talk to them.

You can stay here if you want or go upstairs to the waiting room."

"I'll wait here until a friend of mine is here... then we will go upstairs. She should be here soon." Brennan answered weakly.

The doctor nodded and gave her an encouraging look before leaving again.

Now she was left alone again, with nothing to distract her from imagining Booth's still body on an operating table. Flashbacks of the explosion, of his pale face and of the strange, gurgling sound of him coughing blood tormented her and she buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

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What do you think? Please let me know...

Author's note **(ATTENTION, little spoiler on the next chapter):**

I have to apologise... I know I promised this chapter would make clear if Booth survives or not (and how can I let this eye-candy die), but the story asked to be written that way... so, sorry to turi, bella and all the others...


	4. Chapter 4

Again, I would like to thank my reviewers – you rock!!!! I am trying to answer every review... In case I forgot anybody: I am sorry!!!!

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Chapter 4:

Temperance Brennan was sitting on one of the cheap plastic chairs, her head still buried in her hands, a shadow of her usual, confident self. That's how Angela found her.

She hurried over to her and gently touched her shoulder. "Sweetie?"

Brennan slowly lifted her head and met Angela's worried gaze. Angela's eyes widened a bit. Brennan's face was drowned in tears and splotchy, her clothes dirty, her eyes red from crying and the usual fire in them had simmered down to an emptiness that shook Angela even more than her body language. She looked hopeless and grieving.

Now Angela knew how the sentence Brennan had not finished in their earlier conversation would have ended: "it's bad, Ange... I don't know if he..." - "Is going to make it..."

'Damn, damn, damn' Angela thought.

"Bren... hey... what happened, Sweetie?" She murmured, reaching forward to touch her best friends hand. It felt cold and clammy.

"Oh, Angela." Brennan finally croaked out and buried her head in her best friends shoulder.

"Sh, sh, Bren... I am here... " Angela tried to comfort her, still not knowing what had happened.

After a minute or two, Brennan found the strength to collect herself a bit. She forced herself to sit straight up, wiped her face with a handkerchief Angela had shoved in her hand and steadied her breathing.

Her voice was still thick with tears when she started to report what had happened. She told her everything, not even leaving out the kiss or her reaction to it or what Booth had said to her. She simply had not enough strength to sort her thoughts enough. And after all, she was her best friend, beside the man who could be dying right now. She needed someone to confide in and poured her heart out to Angela, who had placed an arm around her shoulders.

Tears welled in Angela's eyes too, but she knew she had to be strong for Brennan now. She had never seen her best friend so fragile, so desperate and she knew she now had to support her. 'Distract her from the pain and point out the good things!' She thought.

"Oh, Sweetie. So you finally found out you two are in love, hmmm?" She asked.

"It was just a kiss, Angela... How can you conclude we are in love out of a single kiss?" Brennan asked incredulously.

"Brennan... It's not just the kiss. It's sad, but people kiss all the time without being in love...You want to know how I know that you two love each other? It's the fact that you waited so long BEFORE you kissed. It's him freaking out when you were buried by the Gravedigger. It's Booth rushing out of the hospital to save you from Kenton. It's you getting over your issues with your dad to save Booth. It's you being the only person he confides in and you telling him things even I do not know... It's you sitting here like that, that tells me you two love each other, Sweetie." Angela softly explained.

Brennan briefly closed her eyes. "But how can somebody possibly know..."

"Bren" Angela interrupted her. "Don't analyse. Don't listen to what your brain tells you, listen to what your heart is telling you!"

"My hear can't tell me anything, Ange... it's just beating." Brennan stated the obvious.

"And will it still be beating without him,... if he would die today?" Angela whispered.

"Of course...It... Oh..." Brennan's hand suddenly moved to her chest. Listening to Angela's explanation and thinking about it had momentarily distracted her from the fear Booth could be dying. The fear rushed back into her and it felt as if her chest tightened, as if her heart was brutally squeezed by an invisible hand.

Her gaze snapped to Angela. The impression in Brennan's eyes was utter surprise, but also recognition.

She had cried, she had been desperate and hopeless but her brain had told her it was the grieve any woman would feel for a friend who was on the verge of death.

The sudden pain that went through her now and left her bare and weak told her otherwise.

"Now you know." Angela whispered. She knew she had not exactly given her comfort, revealing her true feelings to her. But she also knew, that if Brennan lost Booth today, without knowing she had loved him, she would never be able to recognise love again. You just had to feel it, to know what it was like.

"Oh, Booth..." Brennan whispered and she blinked. A single tear found it's way down her cheek, the first tear she shed for Booth, knowing he was the man she loved. She traced it's way down her cheek with her index finger, wondering how she could have been so oblivious to her true feelings.

"I... I can't lose him." Brennan stated after some moments they had spent in silence.

Angela nodded. "I know. Just make sure to tell him."

"But what... what if... he is in surgery now, what..." Brennan stammered, squeezing Angela's hand hard.

"You have to think positive. I know usually you don't do that, but do it for him!" Angela gave her an encouraging look and Brennan nodded. "I do, Ange, okay... I can do that. I... I even prayed for him."

Angela's eyes widened in surprise. "You PRAYED? Well, that certainly must have been a big surprise in heaven. Now, tell me... how could God refuse to obey you, since you never bothered him with anything before?"

"I still don't believe in it, Angela." Brennan objected weakly.

"Does it matter? You believe in Booth and Booth believes in God. You prayed for him, when he was not able to do it himself. It means something, Sweetie! Now come on, I am sure there is a waiting room we can go to. We'll have a coffee and think as positive as possible, okay?" Angela said, giving her another encouraging look.

Brennan nodded half-heartedly and led her best friend towards the waiting room upstairs.

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Three hours, dozens of coffee cups and a sudden crying fit later, Brennan and Angela were still sitting in the waiting room, Brennan's head resting against Angela's shoulder, when the door opened and Dr. Reeves and another doctor appeared in the doorway.

Brennan jumped to her feet. "How is he?" She choked out, clutching her best friends hand tightly.

Angela too had risen and stood close beside her friend, ready to deal with any reaction.

Dr. Reeves nodded at Brennan and looked at his colleague. "This is Dr. Chen. He is one of the best thorax surgeons in the world. He is going to explain how the surgery proceeded."

"Hello Miss Brennan, Miss?"

"Montenegro" Angela quickly said, noticing that Brennan had not said a thing about her being a doctor as she usually would.

"The surgery was complicated, but we managed to save Mr. Booth's life. He is still in critical condition, but I am optimistic. He is a healthy young man and should be able to recover."

"Oh, thank you... thank you...God." Brennan muttered, she looked at Angela and after a split-second they were in each other's arms, crying again, but this time shedding tears of relief.

Dr. Chen smiled at them and continued. "We had to remove the spleen, as Dr. Reeves already suspected. The piece of wood also grazed the liver, but we were able to fix that. Other than that, no inner organs were hit, but he had already lost a great amount of blood, which we had to remove to make sure there are no other injuries. He also has two cracked ribs, and a badly bruised back... We were wondering how he cracked his ribs..."

Brennan freed herself from Angela's embrace and thought about it for a moment. Then her eyes widened and a bit embarrassed she said: "That must have been me."

When she saw the look the doctors exchanged she quickly added. "He held me during the explosion. He turned so that the took the force of landing on the street with his body, hence the bruised back. I literally slammed into him, so that must have caused the cracked ribs. I assume ... " She quickly resumed the scenario in her head "Rib number 5 and 6 on the left side?"

The doctors nodded in astonishment. She shrugged and said. "Yes. My shoulder." Still the two doctors looked at her somehow suspiciously. She gave them a wry smile. "I am a forensic anthropologist."

"Oh." They both nodded, but Dr. Reeves looked thoughtful and shortly afterwards asked. "But... when he was lying on his back, how did the wood pierce him?"

Brennan sighed. "He turned around, shielded me with his body as soon as we had hit the pavement." She shook her head and a weak smile appeared on her face. "Overprotective alpha-male." The words she normally used as a kind of an accusation came out with a loving undertone.

"Well, Miss Brennan, it so seems you were very lucky that you remained unhurt." Dr. Reeves said.

"No. That was not luck... it was Booth." She smiled and turned towards Dr. Chen. "When can I see him?"

"He has been brought to a room at the ICU. He should wake up in... about an hour or two... You can wait there if you want, but only one person."

Brennan looked at Angela. Angela quickly hugged her and said. "Go."

Brennan nodded and said. "Thank you, Angela. For being here and ... for helping me to understand..."

"It's okay, Sweetie, that's what friends are for... Hurry, go and get to your knight in shining armour."

Brennan was already following Dr. Chen outside, when she suddenly whirled around again. "I have to call..."

"Cullen." Angela finished and nodded. "I'll do that."

Brennan nodded, but stopped again. "Rebecca because of Parker... his parents."

"Cullen, Rebecca, parents... got it... I'll take care of it, Sweetie, JUST LEAVE, for God's sake!" Angela told her and Brennan mouthed a 'thank you' before hurrying after the doctors towards the ICU.

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_Now, what do you think??? I've been a nice girl and did not kill Booth (how could I????)._

_Reviews make me VERY VERY HAPPY!!!!_


	5. Chapter 5

Wow... I never got that many reviews on a story... I am so thankful!!!! overwhelmed!

And you see it helped me to write faster ;) I can't believe I intended this story to be a two or three-shot ;) The story just... flows and flows... we'll see where it takes us.

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Chapter 5:

When the door to Booth's room was opened, Brennan stepped in. It took her a moment to adjust to the dim light inside and she blinked a bit.

There he was. Pale, still so pale. She took in a deep, shuddering breath and turned around towards Dr. Chen. "Can I just sit here with him? Maybe... just hold his hand and wait?"

"Sure" Dr. Chen answered. "A nurse is going to come in to check every 30 minutes. In case he wakes up, let her know, okay?"

She nodded and felt his gaze still on her as she turned back to face the hospital bed. With a gentle voice Dr. Chen added "He may be disorientated when he wakes up. Just talk to him a bit and make sure he does not try to move or speak."

She nodded, her eyes fixed on her partner's still figure. She knew she would never be able to forget, how he looked in that bed. Although he was a strong, big man with broad shoulders he now looked nearly fragile and lost in the big bed. She swallowed hard. He looked so pale and weak, for all she saw he could have been dead. Only the constant beeping and blinking of the machines near the head-end of his bed proved her eyes wrong.

She heard Dr. Chen leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

Slowly she took a step towards the bed, still taking in all the details. She now noticed, his torso was propped up against a pillow on one side, to keep him from putting pressure on the wound.

She saw the small cut on his pale cheek, where she had caressed his skin only an instant before they had kissed. It seemed so far away now.

Before she knew, what she was doing she was standing beside him, her fingertips softly touching the cut, careful not to make contact with the tube in his mouth. His skin felt cold... so cold.

She softly whispered: "I am here, Booth. I'll always be."

Tears escaped her eyes; red and puffy from crying as they already were, they still managed to produce more tears. She did not care... she did not care that they were streaming down her face and left dark spots on the light blue blanket that covered Booth's body. It was okay, she told herself, perfectly normal to cry... a mix of pain, fear and relief, that he was at least alive...

She'd rather cried now, when he was not able to see it, than later, when he would be awake and she had to try to give him strength and confidence.

"I love you." She whispered, her voice thick with tears. She tasted the new sensation of saying these words aloud on her tongue. Not bad, just...somehow unfamiliar.

She licked her dry lips and continued.

"I have been so stupid. I did not know... how can you not know that you are in love? Angela ... Angela had to help me see it. Everybody tells me I am a genius, but that's just work, science. I only use my brain. I did not listen to my heart... but now... now I do..."

She looked down on the face of men she loved and she felt it again: the tightening feeling in her chest and she closed her eyes.

She thought back to the long hours she had spent with Angela, waiting for the surgery to end...

Had she ever felt like this before? Had she ever felt like losing somebody would crush her, would take away everything she was?

No, she decided, not since her parents had vanished when she had been a teenager.

Not even when she thought her brother could be dead, seeing the pool of blood on the floor in her apartment, not even in that very moment she had felt that desperate.

She loved her brother, but Booth... he was Booth. And he had been there for her, when fear for her brother had gnawed on her. He had held her, had told her not to jump to conclusions, he had made it better. That was, what he always did... he always tried to make her life better, protecting her... her knight in shining armour, as Angela had put it.

'More like dented armour right now' she thought. But nonetheless he was her knight and would always be.

She lowered her head and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, then she let herself sink into the chair beside his bed. She covered his cold hand with her own and wiped away her tears with the other, determined to be strong and watch over the man she loved.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A noise had woken her, her eyes snapped open, but it took her a moment to identify her surroundings. Hospital, ICU, Booth... She cursed herself for falling asleep.

A nurse was standing at the other side of Booths bed, examining the monitors. When she saw Brennan's head jerk up, she gave her a smile and said: "You only slept a few minutes, dear. He is still not awake."

Brennan nodded, thankful for the information. She had not paid attention to what time it had been when she had been brought to his room. She would never have known how long she had been sleeping, if the nurse had not told her.

"It's okay for you to take a nap too, my dear. But if you don't want to fall asleep again, just talk to him. It won't do him any harm and it keeps you awake. It may even be good for him to hear a familiar voice." The nurse gently suggested.

Brennan nodded. It made sense. "Yes. I'll do that. Thank you!" She said and stretched her sore and stiff limbs a bit. When the nurse left, she rose and went to the sink in a corner of the room. She splashed her face with cool water and quenched her thirst a bit. Then she headed back to the bed, sat down again and started to talk to Booth.

She told him about how she had called Cullen and that his parents and his brother should be on their way. That Rebecca was informed, but that she thought she would not bring Parker to the hospital until Booth was awake and 'presentable'.

When she was done with recent events, she started to tell him about Zach's and Hodings' last crazy experiment, that had got them in trouble with Cam again. When all the news from the lab had been told, she switched to more personal things...she told him about how it had been to visit her father in prison.

"You know, I really enjoyed playing cards with him. It felt weird, doing that in prison, but other than that it was a something personal..." She stopped... she had felt his hand move. She squeezed it gently and there it was again. A flutter... nothing more than the shadow of an actual movement.

But it was something. And this tiny movement caused her to smile, when she continued. "...and it really feels good to be able to go to him. He is not a stranger anymore. He does not feel like real father to me now, either... but... he is ...family...You are too, Booth. Part of my family."

When she spoke his name, she saw his eyelids flutter lightly. Her smile widened. He was finally waking up, slowly, but he was. "Booth" She whispered again and was rewarded with another tiny movement of his eyelids.

"You've slept long enough, Booth." She said, her voice low and gentle.

On the next attempt he managed to open his eyes. He blinked and confusion showed in his brown eyes, his hand jerked in the firm grip of hers.

"Shhh, Booth. It's alright. You are in hospital. Don't move, you have been hurt, but it's going to be alright, okay?" She told him. He still looked confused, he tried to move his lips, but speaking was not an option, since he was intubated.

"No, Booth. You can not talk, and you should not move either. Look at me... It is okay, Booth, but you have to lie still... Trust me, won't you?" Her voice was soothing, her warm hand holding his in firm grip. She saw that he recognised her, saw the change in the expression of his eyes and felt how he immediately relaxed.

"I will tell you what happened, okay? But first, I have to tell the nurse that you are awake... okay? I'll be right back..." She started to move away, but his grip on her hand tightened a bit and she saw a hint of panic in his eyes. She stopped in her movement and gave him an reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Booth... I'll stay. I won't go away... I'll just press the emergency button here and the nurse will come." He relaxed again and she pressed the button, all the time looking into his eyes.

Only a minute later the nurse opened the door and took one look at them. "Finally awake?"

Brennan nodded, smiling at the nurse. "I'll go tell Dr. Chen... He will want to have a look at him. He should be here in a few minutes. Keep him awake if possible."

Brennan nodded again and her gaze returned to Booth's brown eyes. The pupils were slightly more widened than normally, probably due to the medication.

Brennan took in a deep breath and started to report.

"First of all, your parents and your brother and Rebecca are informed. They know you made it out of surgery about two hours ago and I am going to call them soon, to tell them you woke up. I don't know if you remember anything what happened, so I'll just tell you everything that happened and well... okay.

It happened at the Henderson house,

we knocked but nobody answered, so you decided to go in, since the door was not locked. But when we were inside ...you... I don't know how you knew it, but you dragged me out. Just in time. Then the bomb exploded and we were hurled towards the car.

Being you, you turned around and we landed on your back. My shoulder was slammed against you and ..I.. you have two cracked ribs now. Then you shielded me from all the stuff that still was falling down on us...you stupid alpha-male." She added in low murmur and she saw his eyes smile in response. Then his gaze left her eyes and wandered all over her face and upper body.

She gave him a wry smile "I am okay, Booth." His eyes snapped back to hers immediately.

"Well, we... stood up and you asked me if I was hurt, but I was not... You seemed to be unhurt too, I just saw that cut..." She gently traced it with a finger and saw his eyes widen a bit. "... but then we hugged and I found out, that you had... a big splinter of wood in your back."

His sudden movement interrupted her. He squeezed her hand tight and his eyes had narrowed.

She looked at him for a moment, first puzzled, but then suddenly she laughed. "Okay, okay. You remember, don't you?" He squeezed her hand again. "You kissed me." She whispered. His hand relaxed for a moment, but then he tightened his grip again and she saw his eyes narrow even more, his gaze fixed on her.

She knew what he meant. She knew him well enough to tell that he objected to how she had phrased it. And he was right... it had not been him taking the initiative, rushing her into something she had not wanted. It had been both of them – equally.

"Fine... WE kissed. Each other. Satisfied now?" She snapped, but he recognised the warm and teasing undertone. His eyes glistened with humour and she could not help but smile at him.

"You are incredible." She said and sighed, leaning against the hospital bed. "You can't even talk and we argue." Another sigh.

"You made stupid jokes about Dracula – and yes I do understand it now.. And then..." As she continued her voice lost its teasing tone and was grave serious now.

"You... you had internal bleeding. That's why you lost consciousness, just before the paramedics arrived. You did not wake up during the ambulance drive or when they examined you... or so I've been told. I called Cullen ... he sends his greetings, by the way. He took care of securing the evidence and informed you family. And I called Angela... she waited with me... during your surgery."

She looked into his warm brown eyes. It was good to see them again, to find comfort in those familiar depths of his gaze. But it bothered her to see him like that... weakened, not able to talk. He was used to being strong... it had to be sheer torture for him not to be able to respond to her.

As if he knew what she had been thinking he squeezed her hand gently, caressed her palm with his thumb. She smiled at him, blinking away the tears that once again had threatened to fall.

"Dr. Chen should be here soon. He will explain the surgery." She said, her voice hoarse from the tears she was forcing away.

Booth closed his eyes slowly and Brennan protested: "Hey... Open your eyes! The nurse said I had to keep you awake! You can rest later."

He looked at her, his eyes showing both amusement and a deep fatigue.

"I know you're tired, Booth... but hey I've waited hours for you to open your eyes... you can at least try to stay awake a bit longer, hm?" Her words may have sound teasing, but her voice was not.

It was full of emotion... concern and tenderness.

He just looked at her, his brown eyes locking with her blue ones and his strong and confident gaze gave her what she needed right now: the feeling that everything was going to be alright ... somehow.

* * *

I thought of ending it here, but I remembered that I promised fluff to some of my readers... and I think real fluff requires a TALKING Booth... so, there will be at least another chapter... ;)

Please let me know what you think, reviews make me very happy and let me write faster (lol am I blackmailing you???)


	6. Chapter 6

Wow... thanks again for the reviews... and look: the next chapter is ready... hope you like it...

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Chapter 6:

The sound of someone opening the door caused Brennan to avert her gaze from Booth's eyes.  
Dr. Chen was standing in the doorway, smiling gently. "May I interrupt you? I would like to check his vital functions and his reactions."

"Sure" Brennan nodded and stepped aside. Booth's eyes followed her, then fixed on the approaching doctor. "Agent Booth, my name is Dr. Chen. My team performed the surgery you had to undergo.  
I will explain everything, but right now I would like to test your pupil reflexes... follow the light please." He produced a small flash light and moved it horizontally in front of Booth's eyes.

"Very well... no please squeeze my hands." The doctor said, taking Booth's hands. Again the doctor nodded satisfied. "Good, good. I assume Miss Brennan already told you what happened?"

"Yes, I informed him on how he ended up in hospital, but I did not describe the surgery..." Brennan spoke up from behind the doctor. She had been watching the scene nervously, but now, that Dr. Chen had nodded his approval to Booth's condition, she relaxed a bit.

"Very well. Agent Booth, I have to tell you, that you had severe internal bleedings when you were brought in. My colleague Dr. Reeves, who first examined your injuries suspected that the spleen was ruptured.  
This suspicion was confirmed during the surgery. We had to remove it. It is possible to survive without milt, but you will be less resistant to bacterial infections... you may have to take medication regularly. The piece of wood also grazed your liver, but we were able to repair the damage. We removed the blood and were able to confirm the described injuries as the sources of the internal bleeding. We did not find any other injury. Except of course your cracked ribs and some lacerations and bruisings on your back.  
I have to say that despite your injuries you still were lucky... It's not a long way from the spleen to the heart." He sighed. "Now, that was quite a bit of information... If you understood everything, please squeeze my hand." Booth squeezed his hand.

"Good, good." The doctor said and stepped back from Booth's bed. "Then I am going to leave you alone for now... Miss Brennan you may stay here for another ten minutes or so, but then Agent Booth should get some sleep."

"I can't stay?" Brennan asked, devastated.

"No, Miss Brennan, I am sorry. I let you stay here until he woke up, but for the next few hours he should really sleep... and I can not have people wander around in the ICU all the time. You may come tomorrow if you want, although I don't want too many people visiting him. You said his family should be here tomorrow?"

Brennan nodded and looked at Booth. Her heart ached, she did not want to leave him, but she could see herself, that he was tired and needed to rest. And it was logical, that the ICU could not be crowded by people all the time. She understood the reasons, but that made the prospect of leaving him not the least bit easier. She stepped towards the bed and covered his now warm hand with her own, but he moved his on top of hers, squeezing it lightly. She had to smile at that.

'His family' she told herself 'is important to him... He has a family that cares about him and has more right to visit him than I do.'

She sighed. "Alright. I will talk to his family, I assume his parents will be in DC soon. They should come and see him tomorrow."

"Good. Now, ten minutes, Miss Brennan." Dr. Chen smiled and turned towards the door.

She felt how Booth squeezed her hand tightly and his gaze snapped to Brennan's blue eyes. She looked at him for a moment, trying to read the message in the pleading brown eyes.

"Wait, Dr. Chen... please. How long until he can be moved to a normal room?" She said, hoping she had asked the right question.

"That's not yet predictable, I am sorry. We will have to see how he is recovering." The doctor gave back, giving her an apologetical look.

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded, but added another question:  
"And when can you remove the tube?"

"I really can't .." Dr. Chen started, but Brennan interrupted him. "Please, Dr. Chen. He has a 5-year old son and he will want to see him... but not like this, you know. He will want to be able talk to him."

When she felt Booth's hand relax against hers, she knew she had interpreted his plea right. The fact that she knew him so well surprised even herself.

Dr. Chen looked at her thoughtfully, then he focussed on Booth for a short time, and inclining his head thoughtfully he finally said. "Well...If - and I say IF - his condition stays stable and he recovers satisfactorily, we can remove the tube in 24 hours. But he needs his sleep to recover. Therefore, only five minutes left, Miss Brennan."

"Thank you." She said to the doctor, but smiled down at Booth. Again he squeezed her hand lightly and she could read his gratefulness in his eyes.

Dr. Chen slowly retreated from the room, shooting them a last glance over his shoulder. The look of love in her eyes was clearly mirrored by his and the doctor shook his head lightly. "Partners, my ass." He muttered under his breath and closed the door behind him.

Inside the room, Brennan bit her lip, trying to be strong enough to tell him goodbye. After all, it was not a good-bye forever. She could come and visit him... maybe not tomorrow, but the day after tomorrow. But the mere thought of going home, leaving him, made her chest tighten again and tears stung to her eyes... and after a moment a single tear escaped her burning eyes.

Embarrassed she tried to turn away, to not let him see her weakness, but he lifted his hand. Although she could see, that the movement caused him pain, he did not stop, until his palm rested against her cheek. Gently his thumb brushed away her tear and she pressed her cheek against his hand, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin against hers.

"I prayed for you." She whispered, barely audible. His hand dropped and he gave her an incredulous, almost shocked look.

She chuckled. "Don't worry. I did not insult God. I just thought since you were not able to pray yourself... Well, I just thought it might help... You would do it for me, too." Her gaze wandered to the chain he had worn earlier that day and now lay on the nightstand... A little golden cross glittered faintly in the dim light.

She felt his hand gripping hers tightly again and when she looked back at him, she saw that his eyes glistened with tears. Obviously it meant a lot to him, that she had suppressed all her doubts and had given 'his way' a try.

Brennan sighed. "I think I have to go now. I don't want to, but you heard what Dr. Chen said.  
I will try to come tomorrow, but your family comes first. I'll call your parents and Rebecca...  
They will be glad to hear you woke up. Oh, and I'll tell Cullen too. He said you are 'a fine agent and not replaceable'"

She saw his eyes first turn to a warm brown when she mentioned his family, and then widen a bit, when she repeated Cullen's comment.

Brennan slowly freed her hand from his and swallowed hard... all of a sudden her throat felt too dry to speak. "I better get going now." She stepped back from his bed, but then she hesitated.

Quickly she bent down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, whispering "Rest well, Booth."  
She saw that his eyes had widened at her unexpected sign of affection and part of her wanted to snuggle up to him and stay.  
But she knew she had to go and so she turned around, forcing herself not to look back at him, as she left the room.

* * *

I know, not real fluff, but the fluff level will increase slowly ;)

please let me know what you think!!!!


	7. Chapter 7

First of all:** A BIG THANK YOU** to all my reviewers...

Special thanks to Dolphindreamer and EternalConfusion for correcting me... Feel free to do so at anytime, after all that's how we learn, right? (In case you wondered: I used the word milt and meant spleen ;) I did not know which word was the common one in english... in german it would be Milz, so that lured me into using milt ;) )

And Special thanks to Alphie13 too, for pointing out, that Booth would need protection after that explosion... I used that idea, as you will see...

Okay, here we go...

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Chapter 7

Temperance Brennan closed the door to the hospital room behind her, leaving her partner and the sound of beeping behind her. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly, trying to gather enough strength to walk steadily, when her thoughts were interrupted by a stranger's voice saying her name: "Dr. Brennan?"

Her eyes snapped open and she saw, that two men were standing in front of her, obviously they had been waiting for her in the hallway.

"Yes." She answered and looked at them curiously. The elder one smiled at her and the feeling of recognition stirred inside her. "I know you. You are with the FBI, right?" She asked.

The man nodded and extended his right hand "Special Agent Freeman. This is Agent Sanchez." He motioned for the younger agent to greet her as well. She shook hands with both agents, wondering what they wanted from her.

"Dr. Brennan... Deputy Director Cullen instructed us to meet you here. Since that bomb has to be interpreted as an attempt on Special Agent Booth's and your life, the FBI has decided to provide protection for you both. Agent Sanchez is going to stay here, to ensure Booth's safety and I am going to drive you to the headquarters. Cullen would like to hear your report on the incident, if you are up to it." Agent Freeman told her.

"But..." Brennan spotted her best friend Angela on the far end of the hallway, where a glass door with the letters "ICU" on it locked her out. She raised her hand and waved to show Angela, that she was alright, then she turned towards the agents again. "That's my friend waiting over there. She can drive me to meet Cullen, Special Agent Freeman."

"Dr. Brennan, with all due respect, but Deputy Director Cullen did not ask me to escort you, it was an order. And I take orders seriously. Cullen does not want me to be your driver, he wants to ensure your safety. Please take this seriously, Dr. Brennan." Freeman's voice was firm, but Brennan – though weak and tired – did not want to give in that easily.

"But I don't need..." she started, but Agent Sanchez' soft voice interrupted her. "From what I heard I gather that the only reason why you are not injured is because Booth managed to protect you. What would he say if you take unnecessary risks now and land yourself in hospital too?"

Brennan's eyes widened at his words and she bit her bottom lip. She was not sure if Sanchez had deliberately implied that Booth got hurt only because he had wanted to shield her, protect her, but it sure as hell made had made her feel guilty.

"Alright." She finally murmured. "But I want to talk to my friend first."

"That won't be a problem, Dr. Brennan." Freeman said, then he turned towards Sanchez and said: "Saunders will come in 8 hours to take the next shift."

Sanchez nodded and they said their goodbyes. Brennan felt as if sleep-walking, her mind circling around the same thought over and over again: 'Is he only injured because of me? Is that what everybody will think? That it is my fault... If he had not tried to shield me...'

Only when Angela pulled her into a tight embrace, she was able to take in her surroundings again. She was now standing on the outside of the glass door, with Agent Freeman beside her and Angela holding her tight, asking "Did he wake up, Sweetie?"

She nodded and after a moment she managed to add: "His reactions are good and he understood everything the doctor explained to him. He can't talk yet, but he remembers... everything, Ange."

"Everything... you mean... " Angela pulled back a little and saw the warning look Brennan gave her. "Oh, about the explosion, right?" She added lamely.

"Yes. Everything that happened afterwards until he lost consciousness." Brennan smiled wryly.

"Ange, thank you for waiting here for me, but I have been _summoned_ to Cullen... and Agent Freeman here insists on driving me to play my _bodyguard_." Her voice oozed with sarcasm.

She saw Freeman's eyebrows rise slightly and he said: "No need for sarcasm, Dr. Brennan. I am only following my orders."

"The last time Booth was in hospital – because of a bomb, by the way, it seems there are a lot of parallels - and another FBI agent was supposed to protect me, I ended up in a warehouse where said FBI agent tried to kill me. Forgive me for being sarcastic, it's the best I can do!" Brennan snapped impatiently.

Freeman's eyes widened a bit and after a short moment, he answered seriously: "I am sorry that this happened to you Dr. Brennan, and I apology for being tactless, but I can ensure you I am not like Kenton! He brought shame upon the FBI."

"Whatever." Brennan snapped, but after another moment she steadied her breathing and looked at him apologetically. "I am sorry, Agent Freeman. I did not want to imply anything... It's been a long day. Maybe we should go and meet Cullen now." The agent nodded at her words and Brennan turned towards her best friend.

"Ange, I have to leave. You'll tell Cam and the others what happened and that it looks like Booth will be okay? I'll call Rebecca and his parents." Brennan asked.

"No problem, Sweetie, but as far as I know his parents should be on a plane right now. Cullen knows when and where they'll arrive. Come, let's at least walk to the car together, I have to drive back to the Jeffersonian... and take care of yourself, Sweetie, okay? Call me before you go home, I can come over and keep you company if you want, okay?" Angela gave her a worried look, while they started to walk towards the elevator.

"I guess I will have company, Angela." Brennan said with a meaningful glance at the FBI-agent beside her.

"I was talking about best-friend-company, not bodyguard-company, Sweetie. An Ice-cream session maybe? And girl's talk, yeah? Just call, Sweetie!" Angela explained and Brennan gave in.

"Okay, I'll call you."

The elevator door slid open and Brennan wanted to step in, but Freeman held her back.

"You'll stay behind me from now. I'll enter every room first and check if everything's okay."

Angela saw Brennan roll her eyes and waited for her to say something like "Who should be hiding in an obviously empty elevator?" but she did not complain and Angela gave her another worried look.

Normally she would have freaked out on being treated like a child.

'Maybe she is just too exhausted to put up a fight.' Angela thought and stepped into the elevator behind her.

Silence settled over them, until they entered their parking level.

"The car is over there." Freeman said and motioned for Brennan to follow him, his eyes darting all over the place. Brennan noticed, that his car was parked near the entrance, at a well-lit area. 'At least he knows what he's doing.' She thought.

"Mine is over there, Sweetie. See you later. Don't even think of not calling me, or I'll hunt you down." Angela hugged her quickly and gave her a short peck on the cheek.

With a stern look she turned towards the agent and said: "Look after her. And she needs to rest, so

Cullen cant question her for too long. Tell him, Angela Montenegro said that, got that?"

Freeman raised an eyebrow at her bossiness, but answered. "Yes, ma'm" and steered Brennan towards his car.

The clatter of Angela's heels faded away somewhere behind Brennan and she followed her "new" bodyguard towards his car. Freeman held the door open for her and she climbed onto the passenger seat of the black SUV that seemed to be a clone of Booth's car.

She sighed once again and buckled up her seat belt, stubbornly staring out of her window.

As if in mutual agreement neither of them said a word until they pulled up in front of the FBI building.

* * *

As you can see Alphie13, I used you idea. I already had thought of an agent driving Brennan to Cullen before, but now Booth has his own bodyguard too...

I don't know when I will be able to update, it might take until next week, so please be patient :)

**And reviews make me very, very, very happy!!!! ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

What can I say? Next chapter is ready.  
Thanks for the reviews, peeps, you rock!

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Chapter 8:

Temperance Brennan was lead to Cullen's office by SA Freeman, although she had pointed out that she knew the way and that she would be safe enough in the FBI headquarters... but Freeman was having none of it and stubbornly placed a hand on her shoulder to steer her the way he wanted her to go.

This was too much alike Booth for her to ignore. She stopped abruptly and looked at him, a glare that - though not deadly – was threatening to cause serious damage. When she addressed him, her voice was cold: "Don't touch me! I know the way and I don't like to be pushed. I am perfectly able to walk on my own." Freeman winced a bit at her harsh words.

She whirled around to move on and he strode after her, keeping a safe distance. When she stopped at the desk of Cullen's secretary he made sure to remain an arm's length away from her, observing her thoughtfully as she spoke to the elderly woman who sat behind the desk.

He had heard her words and accepted that she did not want him to touch her... but he remembered seeing her with Booth. She had not objected to him touching her and steering her wherever he wanted her to go. A smile tugged on his lips and he now knew what the Dr. Chen had meant when he had left Booth's room muttering "Partners, my ass."

"Why the smile, Freeman?" Cullen's secretary asked curiously, sensing new material for the FBI-gossip factory.

"Nothin' just thinking of how man bossy women there are nowadays." Freeman winked at her and she rolled her eyes, but then cocked her head as she heard a voice coming from the earphones of her headset.

"Deputy Director Cullen is awaiting you... both of you... And... " she covered the microphone with one hand "...you better wipe that silly grin off your face, Freeman, he's in an awful mood today." She gestured towards the door.

Brennan had ignored the exchange of words between them and had rushed towards the door after the words is "awaiting you" had left the secretary's mouth. Cullen was standing at the window, looking outside, with his back to the door, but he turned around when he heard Brennan entering the room.

"Dr. Brennan." He addressed them. "Special Agent Freeman." Cullen motioned for her and Freeman to sit down.

"Deputy Director." Freeman greeted, but Brennan remained silent, deciding to restrict her greeting to a nod. She was not in the mood for polite conversation and she always had had the impression, that Cullen did not like her anyway. Why bother with courtesy.

"Dr. Brennan, I am glad to see that you remained unhurt." Cullen said, his voice soft.

She looked up at him, astonished and after a moment she retorted: "I can't take credit for that myself. Booth was the one who thought of a bomb and got us out just in time... I remember I cursed him for dragging me out..." Her voice faded away and she swallowed hard.

"This would lead me to my questions on the incident, Dr. Brennan. How did Booth know about the bomb? But first of all, how is he?" Cullen asked

"He woke up. He recalls everything... until he fell unconscious... He seemed to be orientated, and the doctor was satisfied with his condition. If he stays stable, the tube will get removed tomorrow in the late afternoon." She tried to keep herself composed and her voice emotionless.  
"As for the bomb... I don't know. Gut feeling, I suppose." Normally her voice would have dripped of sarcasm at mentioning a gut feeling... but since said feeling had saved her life earlier this day, she just said it as she would have stated any other fact.

Cullen nodded. A former "field agent" himself he knew gut feelings were no myth, but something useful... most times, at least. And in this very case, it had definitely been useful... saving the life of one of his most valued agents and a world-known forensic anthropologist.

One of his fears regarding squints going out with his agents had been the thought of holding a press conference to announce the death of Dr. Temperance Brennan while helping the investigations of a homicide case... That would have been very bad publicity for the FBI.

But those had been his thoughts before Dr. Brennan had insisted on finding out why his daughter had had to suffer from bone cancer. It had not saved Amy's life, but they had found the truth and saved other lives.

Through that, she had earned his respect, he even had grown to like her. So he was not only relieved for the sake of the FBI's reputation to see her unharmed, but also because he simply did not want her to get injured. He gave her another thoughtful look and took in her appearance: Her eyes were red and a bit swollen, obviously she had been crying. And who would blame her for that? Her clothes were dirty, stained with what he assumed was Booth's blood, a sleeve torn and her hair was a mess. She looked like she had aged by five or ten years during the day. He sighed.

"You look tired, Dr. Brennan. I promise I won't pester you too long with my questions." Cullen quietly said.

"That's what her bossy friend said too... and not using the most polite words, I might add, Sir." Freeman threw in, a hint of condescension and annoyance in his voice.

Cullen gave him a sharp look. "In case you are talking about Miss Montenegro, I don't want to hear that tone again. I value her highly!"

This caught Freeman off guard, his eyes widened and he stammered: "Uhm, ...Sorry, Sir. I will make sure to treat her with respect, Sir."

A hint of amusement flickered over Brennan's face. She knew very well, that Cullen not only valued and respected Angela, he genuinely liked her. It would indeed be advisable for Freeman to be nice to Angela. Somehow she was looking forward to the evening with Angela and Freeman now... it would be interesting to observe how he would squirm and writhe now that he knew Angela had Cullen's support.

"Now, Dr. Brennan, please just tell me, what happened when you arrived at the Henderson's house." Cullen turned towards her again and from the corner of her eye, she saw how Freeman relaxed in relief.

She reported how they had entered the house after knocking without success, found the door unlocked and had entered. How Booth had suddenly tensed and dragged her out although she had cursed and tried to stop him, how the explosion had hit them and how they had landed on the pavement. How he had successfully shielded her from the wood and bricks only to end up with that huge splinter of wood in his back. In fact she told him nothing he had not known before, from her report when she had called him earlier that day.  
He knew there was something she did not tell him, but he figured it was something of personal nature and let her leave it unvoiced.

He nodded slowly and finally said: "Dr. Brennan, the Jeffersonian will not work on this case anymore. I can not risk civilians. I am not keen on risking my agents either, but I don't have a choice. And don't try to discuss this matter with me!  
Our scientists are already analysing the evidence that has been brought from... the scene. We are pretty sure that the bomb was activated when you opened the front door, but exploded with a delay of a minute. We must assume that the intention of this delay was, to make sure you are inside the house and near the bomb during the explosion. You see, this was well-planned.  
We have to take this very seriously. That's why I assigned Special Agent Freeman as your personal protection. He is going to stay with you as long as necessary. He is – despite the attitude he showed earlier – a very good and loyal agent. Please do trust his gut feelings as you would Booth's."

Brennan briefly closed her eyes at his words. 'Trust? Kicking and cursing while he only wants to get me away from a bomb is not what I would call trust.' She thought, but did not dare to say a word.

"And Freeman," Cullen addressed the agent "Make sure she does not even get a scratch.  
Booth got her out of an explosion without a single bruise... make sure she stays that way. Booth would not be fun to work with in future, if you don't manage to keep his Bones safe!"

Freeman paled slightly, but also looked a bit confused.

Brennan scowled at Cullen. "I am not HIS. What is it about men that they always have to display territorial and possessive behaviour around women?" She muttered.

Cullen only shrugged her words away, a corner of his mouth kicking up lightly as she showed a bit of her normal behaviour.

Upon hearing her words Freeman turned towards her and gave her an incredulous look: "You are BONES?"

"It's Booth's silly nickname for me." She said and shrugged. She knew Booth would have objected now and told her – with a cocky lift of his eyebrow and a smile – that it was more a term of endearment.  
And despite her words and her annoyed behaviour she liked it, when he called her Bones... his Bones.

She banned those thoughts for now and concentrated on the next task. "Angela told me you know when Booth's parents will arrive?"

Cullen nodded. "They'll arrive at 11 pm. They are going to stay at a hotel near the hospital. Somebody will pick them up at the airport and inform them on Booth's progress. Don't worry, Dr. Brennan. It's all arranged."

Brennan nodded, relieved, that she did not have to speak to his parents, but there was still something else. "I am going to call the mother of his son." She said. She wanted to explain his condition to Rebecca herself. That he was intubated and weak and that Parker should not see him like that. That he would not be able to talk immediately after the removal of the tube. She sighed.

Before Cullen could protest she added: "I know Booth well enough to know what I should tell her. We ... hmm... were able to communicate about that at hospital."

"Very well. Call her, but no details.." Cullen said. "...on the case. I know" Brennan finished.

"Good. Get her home, Freeman, she needs to rest." Cullen said and gave her an encouraging look. "You'll feel better after a night's sleep, Dr. Brennan."

She nodded. 'Assuming I can get sleep' she thought sarcastically. After saying good bye she and Freeman left the office and she pulled out her phone to call Rebecca. She noticed that Freeman did not try to touch her arm again.

* * *

Okay, please tell me what you think! You like Freeman? I am so looking forward to his interaction with Angela... will be fun to write...


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks again to all who took the time to read and especially to those who also reviewed!!!

* * *

Chapter 9:

During the ride over to her apartment, Brennan had called Angela to inform her that they were on their way. When they had entered the building, Freeman had inspected her apartment, checking every room, and finally had reported everything was alright.

The first thing Brennan had wanted to do, was to take a shower. She had told Freeman to let Angela in, in case she arrived while she was in the bathroom.

Now Brennan was standing in the bathroom, after taking off her clothes and waited until the water was warm enough for her to step in. Standing in front of the mirror, she caught sight of a glitter in her hair. She moved closer to the mirror and identified the glittering thing as a glass shard, that had stubbornly remained entangled in her hair. She swallowed hard, remembering the moment when Booth had been lying in front of her, that awful splinter of wood in his back and had been worrying about glass in her hair. Carefully she removed the shard from her hair and searched for more, but found none.

Finally she stepped into the shower, enjoying the comfortable warmth of the water, scrubbing herself with perfumed soap until her skin went pink. She needed to get the scent off, the awful scent of the explosion, the burning wood, Booth's blood.

The hot water washed the salty tears away before she even noticed they had started to fill her eyes yet again. She scolded herself for the tears... why was she crying? Booth would be alright, he had survived, hadn't he? The scariest time was over, now he had to recover and she knew he was stubborn enough to do so in record time.

'So why are you crying, Temperance?' She asked herself. And found no answer.

After some time, the tears finally stopped and she finished with her shower. She dried her wet skin and covered her wet hair with a towel... and cursed herself for forgetting to take clothes with her to the bathroom. After all, there was a man wandering around in her apartment. She frowned at her naked self in the mirror and it frowned back. "Stupid" she hissed at her reflection.

Finally she decided to use her biggest bath towel to hide in and hurried from the bathroom to her room at high speed. No Freeman. She stopped for an instant to listen and she heard him doing something in her kitchen. 'Go, make yourself at home!' she thought ironically and put on some casual clothes. When she was finished she returned to the kitchen, were Freeman was sitting at her kitchen table, drinking a coke. "Hope you don't mind, but I was thirsty."

She shrugged at him and added in a low murmur: "At least now I know it's safe to open the fridge."

Freeman was about to say something, but that very moment the sound of someone knocking startled them both.

She was already on her way towards the door, when Freeman gave her a disapproving look.

"Okay, okay. You open the door." She murmured and remained away from the door, while Freeman moved towards the door silently, gun drawn. When he looked through the spyhole he relaxed and opened the door. "Miss Montenegro." He said and opened.

Angela was loaded with bags of different sizes. "Care to help?" She asked the FBI Agent, who had watched her incredulously. He took one of the bags and put it on the kitchen table.

Brennan frowned and asked: "Angela... I am glad you came, but are you planning to move in with me?"

"Nu-uh, Sweetie." Angela shook her head.

"These are the supplies for a successful 'Let's-forget-about-that-crappy-day'-session. Look... ice cream! Videos! Popcorn aaaand wine. And I brought some clothes for me to change for tomorrow."

Brennan gave her a doubtful look. "And just how is ice cream going to make me feel better? Let alone forget about the 'crappy day'?"

"I know the ice-cream is not going to make YOU feel better, Sweetie. But it's going to make ME feel better and when I feel good, I can be quite cheerful." She flashed her best friend a wide grin.

"The wine is what's going to make YOU feel better. And the videos." Angela added.

Brennan shook her head. "I do not even have a TV, Angela" She objected.

"I knew that. But guess what: DVDs work on computers. Just bring your laptop, it will be fine. The screen's a bit small, but hey, better than nothing." Angela smiled.

"You are awfully cheerful!" Brennan commented, trying to frown at her friend.

"I take that as a compliment." Angela winked and caused Brennan to smile.

"Okay, okay, Angela... I give in. Let's watch one of those movies, drink wine and munch popcorn."

She sighed.

"And I'll take care of the ice cream." Angela volunteered.

Two hours later, the ice cream was gone, the wine-bottle was empty and a bowl of popcorn eaten. They had seen a movie and Brennan had to admit, Angela's attempts on distracting her had worked.

Freeman on the other side had not been paying attention to the movie in the beginning. He had been patrolling around the apartment, sometimes glancing outside and muttering curses about the number of windows in Brennan's apartment until Angela had told him to shut up and either watch the movie with them or read a book.

He had scowled at her and Brennan had seen him open his mouth to object, but she could nearly FEEL Freeman remembering Cullen's warning and his mouth shut again.

Brennan snickered, which earned her an astonished look by Angela and a frown by Freeman.

"What?" Brennan asked innocently, the word ending in a yawn.

"Sweetie, I think it's time to go to bed. What do you say, Agent 'I do not smile, I am on duty' can have the guest room and I'll stay with you?" Angela smiled sweetly at Freeman, who's frown deepened, if that was possible.

He grumbled. "I'd rather stay here on the couch, in case anybody wants to come in, he has to get past me first."

Brennan shrugged. "Okay. I'll get you a blanket and a pillow. Ange... I would not mind if you stay with me..."

She went to the guest room to get the blanket and the pillow. Angela waited until she was gone and moved near the agent. She gave him a stern look and spoke in low, but dangerous tone: "Don't be like that. Don't make her feel guilty!"

"What?" Freeman looked down at the woman, who barely reached his chin... but nonetheless right now, she was scary... impressively scary.

"You act as if it was her fault. It's not. It is not her fault one of your friends got hurt, so don't dare to be so distant and cold to her or you are going to regret it. Got that?" She hissed and her index finger was pointing accusingly at his face. Her gaze was fiery and his eyes widened at the force of her words.

"Holy shit. Woman, are you mad? You are threatening a federal agent." He muttered, mulling over in his head what Cullen had told him. Surely she had never tried to threaten the Deputy Director, had she?

"Not mad... just caring about my best friend. Her day has been crappy enough, she does not need you to make it worse!" Angela said.

"Okay, okay. I'll be nice. Satisfied?" Freeman rose his eye brows and brought his hands up, mimicking a gesture of surrender.

"I guess so." Angela stepped back, when Brennan entered the room, saying "Okay, here I got a blanket and a pillow."

She glanced at Angela and Freeman and asked: "Did I miss something?"

"No, Sweetie... nothing." Angela smiled at her and after a quick side-glance at SA Freeman, he mustered up a smile too and even added: "Thanks for the pillow and blanket, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan's gaze went from Angela to Freeman, though she was not good at reading people, she still was able to tell that something had happened. After a moment of silence she shrugged her thoughts away.

"Well, good night then." Brennan said and turned away.

After using the bathroom, both women retreated to her bedroom.

"You alright, Sweetie?" Angela asked. When Brennan said nothing, Angela added. "You don't have to pretend anymore. Freeman is out there and I am your best friend. Honestly, Bren... how are you?"

Brennan bit her bottom lip. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, hugging her knees.

After some time, she licked her dry lips and choked out: "Is it my fault? That Booth got hurt? I just don't know Angela... Is it my fault that he nearly died?"

"Oh, Bren!" Angela exclaimed. "How would it be your fault?"

"I... He wanted to protect me and that's how he got injured. And all the other agents... Freeman, Sanchez... they treat me as if it was my fault. And it is, isn't it? If I had not been there, he might have gotten out faster, might have made it without getting hurt at all." Brennan sobbed.

Angela moved closer, putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. "Bren... it's not your fault. Never!"

"But... Angela. I just can't stand it, that he nearly died and I came out of that explosion with nothing more than a ringing in my ears." Brennan choked out, still sobbing. "I should have been hurt..."

"So, you would feel better if you got hurt too? That's just bullshit, Bren... Don't feel guilty. Booth would do anything for you and he managed to protect you properly. I am sure he is glad about it. He needs to protect you, Sweetie. That's just how he is. You could not change it." Angela answered, in a soothing tone. "He would not want you to blame yourself now, Sweetie. Just be glad you are both alive. And as for the other agents – forget about them. It's not your fault. You did not place the bomb, did you?"

Brennan smiled wryly. "No, of course not."

"See? You did not do anything wrong, Sweetie. " Angela hugged her tightly and she felt her best friend relax a bit.

After some time Brennan murmured a "Thank you, Angela." Into her hair and Angela smiled. "That's what friends are for, Sweetie. Now, let's go to sleep, 'kay?"

Brennan nodded and only a few moments after her head had touched the pillow, she fell asleep.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

When she woke up the next morning it was because she had heard something strange. A noise she could not identify. After all who was in her apartment to make noises?

She opened her eyes and her gaze fell on Angela's face resting on the pillow beside her. She briefly wondered why Angela would sleep in her bed, but then suddenly it all came back, the explosion, hospital, the evening with Angela.

Noises outside had to mean, Freeman was awake. Nothing to worry about.

Carefully avoiding any sound she shoved back her blanket and left the bed. In the diffuse light of the morning light that came through the blinds she searched for her clothes from yesterday evening and put them on instead of her night-gown.

She heard a yawn from the bed. "Morning, Sweetie." Angela said and hopped out of bed. "Morning." Brennan murmured back, not nearly as much a morning person as Angela was.

Brennan waited until Angela changed into new clothes, then she opened the door of her bedroom.

The smell of coffee and bagels and the soft sound of the radio in her kitchen greeted them.

When they entered the kitchen, they saw that Freeman had set the table for the three of them. They exchanged an astonished glance. Fresh bagels, orange juice, coffee and fruit?

"Good morning" Freeman greeted them. "I took the liberty to prepare breakfast, I figured you'd sleep a little longer after the bottle of wine you share and... everything."

"Longer?" Brennan glanced at the radio watch and gasped "Ten-Thirty? I ... am late for work. Very late."

"Sweetie! Cam knows what happened... I am sure she is not expecting you today. And me neither." Angela gave back and moved closer towards the table. "Mhm, smells good." But then she suddenly frowned. "You should have told us when you went out. You are here to protect her!"

"I did not leave. I called a newbie to bring the bagels." He smiled. "He even was excited to get something to do outside of the office."

Brennan's eyebrows rose slightly "So this is a treat by the FBI?"

"No. I paid... Please accept my apology for my poor behaviour yesterday." Freeman answered.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Brennan asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing a bit.

"First of all, because Miss Montenegro can be very scary..." Angela grinned "And because I overheard you yesterday... " He heard Brennan gasp. " I am sorry, but these walls are paper-thin.

I...I apology for my behaviour. I did not really want to make you feel, like it was your fault...It...It's just Seeley's a good comrade and... we tend to get a bit pissed if one of us gets hurt. It's... just like being back...like..." He stopped.

Brennan sighed. "Like soldiers? Back in the Army?"

Freeman looked shocked. "How did you know?"

"What? That you've been in the Army too? First of all, many agents have been soldiers before. But it's your behaviour, your posture and how you called Deputy Director Cullen "Sir" yesterday. And Booth a "comrade" right now." Brennan explained.

"Wow... uhm. Yeah, well... you are right. I've been to the Army too... not with Booth, but we've been on cases together two times and it feels similar, like being soldiers...you... you are protective of your comrades." Freeman muttered.

"I get that." Brennan answered quietly.

"I know. That's what I did not realise... You are not just a lab-squint, who does not know about the real life. No offense, Miss Montenegro!... But...you go out with him and take the same risks... I guess that's what we forgot." Freeman offered her his hand. "I am sorry."

She bit her bottom lip for a moment, but then she accepted and shook his hand. "Okay." She murmured.

"So, are we going to have breakfast?" Angela smiled at them.

"Sure." Freeman poured coffee for them and they started to eat. After some time Angela's curious nature took over and she asked: "So you've been on cases with Booth? When? Where?"

"Uhm..." He hesitated for a moment.

Angela gave him a wide smile. "We work on federal cases often, we can keep our mouths shut."

"Ah, right... well...the first time was about 4 years ago. We were undercover, but it was not really that exciting... we spent loads of time at a fitness center until we collected enough evidence to find out that one of the personal trainers had murdered two – pretty rich – guys. Not a biggie. But the second time..."

He absently stared into his coffee mug. "Booth did not tell you about it?" He finally asked Brennan.

She shook her head. "No... when was that?"

"About three months ago." Freeman sighed.

"No... he did not tell me anything... but that time we ... had problems. I was mad at him... Ah, well ... it does not matter. What happened?" Brennan banned the thoughts of the time when Zach had been to Iraq and she had been so cold towards Booth.

She saw Freeman shift uncomfortably. "Uhm,... I am not sure if I should tell you..."

"Now, come on... you can keep the confidential details to you." Angela urged him.

After a sigh he started again. "It was a homicide investigation at Pittsburgh, with gangs involved. We were sent there because we are not known there, they needed fresh faces, so to say. We thought the case was pretty clear, but it ... turned out to be more complicated. I... can't talk about the details, the trial on this case is still pending... but... we were ambushed, in a basement where the cell phones did not work... We stepped into it like rookies! We were locked up ... and... well... we were not sure if we would make it out... " He cleared his throat and avoided the gaze of the two women, who had been listening to him.

"What happened?" Angela asked.

"Uhmmm. Yeah well... we did what most people do in such situations, after we've been there for more than a whole day, I told him to tell my wife and my daughters that I love them, in case he survived and I did not... and well... he... ah... hmmm...Oh, screw it, I'll tell you! He said: Tell my son I love him and take care of my Bones." Freeman sputtered.

Brennan's eyes widened. "What?" She whispered.

"I... uhm... I dunno, I took it literally, you know, that I should make sure that his body was treated properly or something... I had no idea what he really meant until yesterday. It never occurred to me to ask him, since right after he said it, we were rescued... But then yesterday Cullen mentioned that nickname. And now I know what he meant." Freeman absently stirred the cold coffee in his mug.

Brennan was shocked... Why would Booth be thinking of her, in such a situation? Did it mean, what she suspected? Did it mean, that Booth really returned the feelings she had for him? That he had had feelings for her for at least three months?

A short side glance towards Angela confirmed, that her best friend was thinking the same.. To say that Angela looked excited would have been an understatement. She positively beamed at Brennan, but when she opened to her mouth to say something, Brennan raised her hand. "Don't. No conclusions. I will see him today or tomorrow and ... I will talk to him, but please, Ange... let's not talk about it now, okay?"

"As you wish, Sweetie." Angela smiled at her.

Brennan returned the smile, but only half-hearted. Booth had been thinking of her, alright. But she remembered a similar situation: Her and Hodgins buried by the Gravedigger. She had been thinking of Booth too, she even had addressed her note to him. He had been the last person she had been thinking of before they had ignited the "airbag-bomb". But she had not known, she had been in love with him, then... she had been thinking of him as a friend. As a friend who would blame himself for not saving her.

Just how had Booth been thinking of her in that basement?

* * *

I know, I know... still no real fluff... sorry, but it will come ...hopefully.

So, what do you think of Freeman now? More sympathetic?

Please let me know what you think!!! Next chapter shows how Booth is doing!


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks again to all who took the time to read and especially to those who also reviewed - you humble me!

Now we are going to find out how Booth is doing while Brennan and Angela are still asleep...

* * *

Chapter 10:

The first thing he sensed, was the a sound that invaded his mind. A constant sound ...beep...beep...beep. The very moment he realised that something was stuffed in his mouth, the intervals between the beeping sounds shortened. Panic rose in him, until he was able to force his eyes open and he took in his surroundings. His eyes needed a moment to adjust to the light, but soon he knew where he was. Hospital. The thing in his mouth was a tube. He hated the feeling, but he relaxed a bit. The rhythm of the beeping sounds steadied along with his heart rate.

He closed his eyes briefly... and a flood of memories hit him... he knew he had been awake before... several times to be exactly. But it all merged into a blur. His gaze wandered over the naked walls of his room, searching for a clock, but there was nothing there for him to help him measure time. He tried to recall what he had seen when he had been awake before. His gaze shifted to one of the infusions near his bed. The last time he had seen it, it had been nearly empty, now it was full again. A nurse must have been in his room to change it and he had not even woken up. Damn medication, blurring his senses. On the other hand he was pretty sure the content of the infusion also dulled the pain. Maybe the medication wasn't that bad.

He reached for more information, more memories...He remembered Agent Sanchez coming in, when he had been more or less awake some time earlier. Sanchez had told him that he had had an eight hour shift outside his room and that Agent Saunders had taken over for the next eight hours. So he had been sleeping for some time...

He also recalled that Sanchez had told him that another Agent was to stay with Bones all the time.

Bones! He knew his partner had been here, his Bones. She had been unhurt – thank God - and had talked to him.

He could picture her sitting on the chair beside his bed, telling him what had happened. He still could not believe she had been praying for him. Bones, praying. A chuckle rose in his throat, but was forced to stay where it was. No way to laugh while being intubated.

The thought remembered him of how much he hated the thing in his mouth. He tentatively tried to move his hand. It worked... There were small wonders in this world!

He reached for the emergency button to call a nurse in. All he wanted, was to get rid of that damned tube, to be able to talk. He pressed it and a minute later a nurse appeared, as if she had been waiting outside the door all the time.

"Oh, Mr. Booth you are awake again?" The nurse asked, causing Booth to roll his eyes lightly. Why question the obvious, especially when the patient was not able to reply? And did emergency buttons have the habit of pressing themselves?

"So, Mr. Booth... how can I help you." The nurse asked, her eyes darting over the screens of the constantly beeping devices.

Booth's eyebrows rose. How on earth was he supposed to show her what he wanted, when she kept her eyes stubbornly fixed on that screens?

He waved his hand to get her attention. Hooray, it worked. She looked at him expectantly.

He mimicked pulling out the tube and caused her to smile. "I can not remove the tube, Mr. Booth, I am sorry. Doctor Chen will come here later and he will tell if you are ready for the removal."

The doctor would tell if he was ready? Hell, he was more than ready to get rid of that thing. Eager for the removal, more likely. But there was no way to argue with the nurse.. He would have sighed, if he could.

Then another thought occurred to him. He pointed to his wrist, where he usually had a watch.

The nurse frowned a bit, then her face lit up suddenly. "Ah, the time? It's..." she glanced at her watch "Almost eight thirty in the morning."

His brain tried to process the information and bring sense into the chaotic mess of memories in his head. But he did not quite succeed... because he had no idea when he had been brought into the room or how long his surgery had taken.

The nurse studied him for a moment and said: "You woke up the first time yesterday in the late afternoon, if that's what you are trying to find out."

Booth gave her a thankful look. So he had been sleeping quite long... not a big surprise.

He was pretty sure the painkillers were responsible for the tiredness and caused his head to feel like it was stuffed with cotton wool. An awful feeling...but he also could recall Dr. Chen talking about removing his spleen and repairing damage to his liver, cracked ribs... All in all, it sounded pretty painful. He decided, that the painkillers were going to be his new, best friends. He glanced at the infusion. 'Hey buddies!'

"Mr. Booth, you're parents arrived here around midnight. You've been asleep at that time. They wanted to be informed as soon as you are awake. Shall I call them?"

'My parents,... oh God. Mum's going to make a hell of a fuss... ah, well. Can't help that now.' He thought and blinked at the nurse, hoping she would understand that he meant it as agreement.

"Okay. They should be here soon, they are staying at a hotel near the hospital. Anything else I can do for you?" The nurse asked.

'Yeah, remove the tube!' Booth thought, but slowly closed his eyes to show the nurse there was nothing else.

For now. Sleepily he wondered if they still had that delicious pudding.

Closing his eyes had let him drift off into a dozing state and when the door opened again and his parents came in it seemed as if no time had passed at all.

'Mhm... maybe I can skip the "Oh, my poor boy!" – part by blinking again' He thought sarcastically.

He slowly closed his eyes, when his mother hurried towards the bed.

"Oh, my poor little boy!" She exclaimed. 'Nope, did not work.' He thought and opened his eyes. 'Little boy...phew'

He watched his father coming closer reluctantly, while his mother was already petting his hand, murmuring incomprehensible things. He did not have to look at her face to tell that she was crying. He kept his gaze fixed on his father, who finally reached his bed. "Oh, Seeley." Was all he said, when he took his son's hand in his, giving it a hard squeeze. "Why do you always have to get yourself in trouble?" Robert Booth looked down at his son's face sternly.

'As if I CHOSE to get blown up.' Booth thought and gave his father an ironical look. Then he moved his head a bit to look at his mother. As he had expected, tears were already streaming down her face and the sight of this made his heart ache. He could not stand to see a woman cry, especially not a woman he cared about so much.

He squeezed his mother's hand in - what he hoped was – a reassuring way.

Sure, he was hurt and it had been serious, but he had been in worse shape when he had been sent home by the Army once. The memories briefly occupied his mind. Oh yes... definitely worse shape, especially if you think of his mental state back then... war, not being able to protect his friend, all those dead people...

No, he did not want to think back.

He looked at his mother's face again and he wanted to tell her, that it wasn't that bad, that he was going to be alright. But all he could do, was to look at her, hoping his steady gaze and the gentle squeeze of his hand was going to tell her what he could not voice. He briefly looked at his father and the two Booths understood each without words. Robert Booth moved around the bed to place a hand on his wife's shoulder and said:

"Don't cry. Look at him, darling. He's strong, he is going to be alright, he always is. "

Mary Booth nodded, still sobbing a bit. With relief Booth noticed, that at least the tears had stopped rolling down her cheeks.

"I have to agree with you, regarding the fact, that he is strong." Dr. Chen's voice came from the doorway.

"Good to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Booth." He nodded towards them.

"And Agent Booth, I have to say that you surprise us with your quick recovery."

"Booth stubbornness" Mary Booth commented, her voice still thick with tears. "All men in this family are simply too stubborn to stay in bed for more than three days."

Robert Booth snorted. "What?" His wife asked. "It's true!"

Dr. Chen grinned. "Well, I fear it will of course take more time than three days until Agent Booth will be able to leave the bed, but what I can say so far is, he recovers better than expected. The nurse tells me you are quite eager to get your tube removed, Agent Booth?"

Booths eyes widened and he managed a tiny nod.

"Good. When your visitors have left, we will do so. You should rest after the removal. It may take a few hours until you are able to speak afterwards and your throat will feel sore for a few days. As your partner requested, your son may visit you if you wish, maybe this evening. But no more visitors today... you may have extraordinary good healing, but you still need your rest. If your condition stays stable you will be moved to normal room tomorrow morning. Any questions?"

His parents shook their heads and he too managed a small movement of his head. He was looking forward to seeing Parker. He hoped Rebecca would not make a drama out of everything.

He looked at his father and mimicked talking into a phone. "We should call Rebecca?" His father guessed. Seeley's thumbs up confirmed he had interpreted the gesture right.

"Anybody else we should call?" Robert Booth asked. Booth frowned. How to tell his parents they should call Bones and tell her that he was recovering and going to be moved to another room soon?

He nodded, or at least tried to do so, still thinking. "Okay, son... Who?" His father asked.

Booth rolled his eyes, then his gaze fixed on his father again. He mimicked writing.

"Mary, do you have a pen?" Robert Booth asked his wife.

"I don't know... maybe." She gave back vaguely, opened her purse and started to rummage in it. She took several items out and placed them on the nightstand while searching for a pen.

"God, Mary. What else have you stuffed in there?" Robert exclaimed.

Father and son exchanged a look of disbelief. Women were full of mysteries and somewhere in the top ten ranked 'a woman's purse and it's content'.

"Only what I need." Mary Booth gave back. "Uh-uh" Robert Booth watched her .

"What no sleeping bag?" He asked sarcastically when she finally had gone through all the items in her purse and presented a pen and a notepad.

"Very funny. YOU did not have a pen, did you?" Mary Booth shot back. "What would you be doing without me, anyway?"

Seeley Booth watched his parents' bickering with great amusement. All his childhood he had spent with those arguments, that were no real arguments. That's just how his parents were.

He remembered that once, when he had been a little boy, he had asked his mother, why they were always bickering and if they did not love each other and she had laughed at him, ruffled his hair and said: "You know, what, my boy? The more you tease, the more you please. I love your Dad very much, and that's why I enjoy having those little arguments with him."

His father's response brought him back to reality. "Without you? Hmmmm. I don't know, let's see: Never shave again? Never ever plant ivy next to my house?"

"Why does it always end up with the ivy? It looks pretty..." Mary Booth retorted.

"It looks like we are living in Hobbingen!" Her husband growled back.

Booth rolled his eyes and flicked his fingers to get their attention. To their credit it worked. They immediately turned towards him.

"Oh, Bob! Our poor boy is lying here, hurt all over and we argue about ivy." Mary chided softly.

'Poor boy' rolled with his eyes again.

Robert Booth handed him the pen and the notepad and grinned apologetically "Sorry, son... I got carried away."

Booth mentally shrugged. He knew how it was to get carried away in an argument. It happened to him with Bones all the time... Oh, his mother had been so right. The more you tease...

He took the pen and the notepad and scribbled something down. It felt awkward to write without being able to look at it, but with the tube in his mouth he could move his head enough. He lifted the notepad and looked at the words he had written. Written? Holy crap, he could only hope his parents still remembered his handwriting when he had been a 6-year-old... it sure looked similar.

He stared at the words "Call Bones, tell her that I get moved." At least that was, what he had intended to write.

He handed the note over to his father. "Oh, dear heavens. Mary, can you read that?" Robert Booth murmured and handed the note over to his wife.

After a look she stated "I'll need my glasses." And started to rummage in her purse again.

"Oh, no... not again." Booth's father murmured, which earned him a death glare from his wife.

"I found them already." She said. "Only because they are bigger than a pen." He gave back, grinning.

After putting on her glasses she studied the note for a moment, then nodded. "We should inform his work partner that he is going to be moved to another room."

Another thumbs-up from the bed. Booth should have known his mother would understand.

"What? You can read that? This scribbling is worse than what he did in primary school. What does that mean?" Robert Booth pointed towards the word 'Bones'.

"Bones! That's his work partner. You know the doctor who writes the books? Bones is a nickname!" Mary explained to him.

"Huh? How do you know?" Robert asked, stunned.

"He is my SON, he tells me THINGS." Mary gave back and smiled at her son. "Don't you worry, Seeley, we'll take care of it. You should rest now."

Booth did not argue because of two reasons. Number one: arguing would not have been easy with the tube in his mouth. Number two: He loved his parents, but just being in the SAME ROOM with them was strenuous, let alone disagree with them.

"Take care, son. We'll see you tomorrow. And our grandson too, I hope." His father briefly squeezed his hand and Mary Booth ruffled his hair as she had done when he had been a little boy. She knew very well he hated it, but could he object? No. He only rolled his eyes and waved them good-bye.

When they finally closed the door behind them he squeezed his eyes shut and his last coherent thought before drifting off to sleep was: 'Silence is golden.'

* * *

Please let me know what you think, reviews make me happy!!! How did you like my version of Booth's parents? 


	11. Chapter 11

Oh my god…. More than 100 reviews…. Thanks so much, people!!! …

Here we go, next chapter... a mix of Booth's and Brennan's pov now.

* * *

Chapter 11:

Booth woke around lunch time, when a nurse entered his room to check on him. He opened his eyes and after a short moment of disorientation, he recognised his surroundings. And that he still was intubated... his eyes narrowed. He gestured for the nurse to come nearer and mimicked pulling out the tube. The nurse nodded and said: "I'll get Dr. Chen."

Ten minutes later the tube was removed and Booth's coughing finally had ended. His throat felt as if he had munched glass shards for breakfast. This thought made his stomach grumble  
'Seriously?' Booth patted his upper stomach gently 'You wake up when I think of eating glass shards?"

But the grumble and the empty feeling in his stomach made clear that it had been a long time since he had eaten something.  
He grinned a bit. His soar throat surely was a good excuse to get the nurses to shower him with pudding, right?

He pressed the button again and the nurse reappeared in his room. "How can I help you, Mr. Booth?"  
He was not able to talk yet, he could only rasp out some incomprehensible sounds.  
So he mimicked spooning something and mouthed 'Pudding?' The nurse understood, but hesitated.

He flashed her his charm smile to solidify his plea. And it worked like magic,just as it should.  
'Ah, how good the be free of that tube' He thought, when the nurse smiled back a bit and said. "Oh, alright. I understand you are hungry and the pudding will be good for your throat, I suppose. I'll be right back."

He really hoped she'll bring more than only one cup. His stomach grumbled in agreement. A lot more than one.

Another ten minutes later Booth felt a lot better. His gaze locked on the last remaining full cup of pudding; standing beside the three he had already emptied. He decided to keep the last one for Parker, who had inherited his obsession with good pudding. Well-fed for the moment, he settled back a bit, careful not to put pressure on his wound. Soon his medication caused his eye lids to get heavier and heavier and after some time, he was asleep again.

* * *

Temperance Brennan, Angela and Freeman had enjoyed their late breakfast and all three of them realised that with their talking, they finally had reached a level of mutual respect and sympathy.

At 11:30 however, Brennan began to get nervous and impatient. She needed, desperately needed to do something. She had called the hospital already, to get information about Booth's progress, but the nurse only had told her, that he was still at the ICU and she was not allowed to give her more information. So she had no idea if his condition had changed at all. She sighed.

Nobody had called her... She decided to call Rebecca in the evening... she surely would know something until then.

"Angela, I need to go to work... I have to do something. This sitting around, doing nothing is driving me crazy!" She told her best friend. Angela gave her an incredulous look.  
"Well, read a book or something, Sweetie... or are you simply not able to take a day off to relax?"

"I can't relax right now, Angela... I.. I need something to distract me, Ange..." Brennan admitted.

"Oh... okay, I understand... Well, I would go shopping to distract myself, but I guess Agent Freeman will not recommend going out into the public right now?" Angela gave him questioning look.

"Exactly. I'd rather have her at the Jeffersonian that wandering around in shopping malls. Easier to keep her safe." Freeman agreed.

Brennan rolled her eyes. "I don't need a bodyguard." She mumbled, but kept her voice quiet enough, so that only Angela near her could make out her words.

"Uh-uh" Angela gave back in a low voice and added. "I am sure Booth would be glad to see you at the hospital, hey, maybe you could share a room?"

"Angela, Sarcasm is not helpful in this matter!" Brennan snapped.  
Angela just shrugged. "It serves the purpose. You know very well that you should keep your head low until that lunatic is arrested, don't be so touchy about it."

"Mhm" Brennan mumbled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her best friend, but avoiding her gaze.

Freeman had watched their talking with interest and smiled. "Are we ready to go, or what?"

They quickly grabbed their things and got ready to head to the Jeffersonian. Brennan was looking forward to examining remains... She was used to put aside personal thoughts and fully concentrate on her work. Her usual work routine would help her to stop worrying about Booth's condition, her feelings for him, if he returned the feelings... and everything else. Yes, work definitely was what she needed right now.

They did not talk much during the ride, all of them seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Freeman accompanied Angela and Brennan to the lab. He examined her office and talked to the security guards and decided that it would be safe enough for him to leave for an hour to drive home, shower and get changed.

He gave Brennan a stern look before he left and said: "Do not even think of leaving the lab, do not go near windows or doors! The security guards are informed, so nobody will be able to get in here. I'll be back in an hour."

"I am not a child, Agent Freeman!" Brennan gave back.

"I know, Dr. Brennan, but my orders are to make sure you are safe and that's what I am going to do... even if it means to treat you like a child." Despite the serious words, he winked at her and left.

Brennan took in a deep breath and looked at the familiar surroundings of the lab. "Okay...Zach, what's the next body from limbo we can work on?"

* * *

An hour later, Freeman came back, as he had promised. After showering, shaving and changing into new clothes he seemed to be in a better mood than ever before. Angela looked at him curiously... Surely these ordinary things could not have made him feel happy enough to whistle.

"Dr. Brennan?" He asked.

She was too engrossed in her work to hear him. "Dr. Brennan!" He had spotted her at one of her examination tables and stepped near. He placed a hand casually on the rim of the table. Speaking her name had not earned him her attention, but touching her examination table did. "Hands off!" She commanded, but did not look at him.

He quickly removed his hand. "Okaaaay. Dr. Brennan, I have good news!" He said, which finally made her lift her gaze from the remains she was working on.

"What kind of news?" She asked cautiously, hoping he was talking about Booth.

"You won't have to endure my presence any longer" He grinned. "The FBI arrested Henderson and they were able to prove he built the bomb. Turns out Ray was not smart enough to use gloves when he built the bomb. He had installed a light barrier at the door and our people found his fingerprint. The light barrier ignited the bomb. And Ray Henderson confessed the murder of his wife. Case closed."

Brennan's eyes widened. "Ah... yeah, good." She said lamely.

"I really thought you'd be a little more enthusiastic." Freeman smiled. "At least about the prospect of getting rid of me."

Brennan returned a wry smile. "Sure, I am glad the case is solved and you can return to your usual work again."

"I sense a BUT" Angela piped up from behind Brennan.

Brennan shrugged. "I am just not used to this... I guess. I mean... it was OUR case, you know. We identiefied Sue Henderson. We worked on this case for three days... I guess this is the first case we started, but we did not solve it ourselves..." Her voice drifted off.

"That pisses you off?" Freeman asked.

"A little bit." Brennan admitted.

"It should." Freeman said, his voice serious now. "It's a normal reaction. You start to work on a case and you want to be the one to close it. But sometimes it doesn't work that way. It seriously pissed me off to lose the Eller-case three years ago, but I had a car accident.."

"I think I just need to get used to it..." Brennan agreed, but then she suddenly tensed. "Eller? Three years ago. As in Cleo Eller? But this was our case. Booth's case."

"Nu-uh- It became Booth's case. It should have been mine. In fact...All this... Working with the Jeffersonian should have been my job. Booth was only a substitute. I was called to the place were the remains were found – Cleo Eller as you identified later. But I had an accident while driving to the scene. Bad luck, I guess. I had to stay in hospital for about two months. Until then Booth and you had already worked some cases together successfully and so Cullen decided to let you two stay a team." Freeman reluctantly told her.

"So... are you telling us, that it was only coincidence that Booth became assigned as the liaison for the Jeffersonian?" Brennan asked, a bit shocked. Angela smiled a bit. 'Coincidence? More like karma' She thought.

"Yep." Freeman nodded. "But a good coincidence, right? You make a good team."

"Good coincidence? You've been in a car accident!" Brennan stated.

"Yes and it wasn't pretty, but that's been three years ago, Dr. Brennan. I daresay Booth and you make a better team than you and I would have ever made." He winked at her.

"Well... I'll go now. Would be nice to meet you again, Dr. Brennan, Miss Montenegro...Preferably under circumstances that do not include hospitals and accidents of whatever sort."

He waved a goodbye and left the lab with quick strides.

Brennan's gaze followed him, still processing the information that in fact HE should have been her work partner. How would that have turned out? What would have happened... would she ever have met Booth at all?

Angela's eyes followed Freeman, then she turned towards Brennan and grinned at her thoughtful expression. "Sweetie, Freeman is okay, but I think you definitely should be thankful for the 'coincidence' that brought you Booth instead. Maybe it was... meant to be?" She suggested.

"Angela! How can I be thankful for a car accident... it must have been more serious than he lets on when it took him two months to recover. And I don't believe in things that are 'meant to be'!" Brennan gave back.

Angela shrugged. "Have it as you want, Sweetie, but fact is: I doubt you would have ever even met Booth."

Brennan looked at her thoughtfully. "Maybe."  
And in her mind she added 'And if he does not feel like I feel, I guess it would have been better to not meet him at all.'

* * *

What do you think???


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks for being so patient, my friends... And of course a big thank you for your wonderful reviews!!!! Here's the next chapter!!!

* * *

Chapter 12: 

Booth stifled a yawn. A few hours ago he had found out that things like yawning, breathing deeply, laughing, coughing and sighing hurt... hurt like hell. But at least the news that had caused him to sigh, had been worth the pain...

When Agent Saunders had come in a few hours ago to tell him that Henderson was arrested and they had been able to prove he had built the bomb, Booth had sighed in relief. The hours he had been awake and his head clear enough to form coherent thoughts, he had spent in constant fear for Bones. Although he knew there was an agent with her all the time to protect her, it did not really help pushing the fear aside.

Worrying about her had become a part of him.

And the memory of his last time in a hospital bed, talking to Hodgins and realising that he had handed his partner, his Bones, over to a murderer, haunted him.

The picture of finding her in that warehouse on that awful hook, fettered and gagged, the sound of the dog's frantic barks... These impressions would never leave him. There were other pictures of her in danger or hurt that made him always clench his fists when he recalled them.

New Orleans...She had called him to inform him that she got attacked and did not recall a thing, but told him not to worry, not to come. She INFORMED him... more like scared him to death. He remembered when he had stormed in that room, ignoring the nurse's protests and found her bruised and without memory and she had been worrying about losing an earring.

Oh, and the moment he had found said earring... when he had spotted it in the house in which they had just found a man Bones had known slaughtered like a pig surrounded by spooky Voodoo-signs drawn in blood. He had picked up the earring without thinking twice... sure, technically he had done something immoral, he - a FBI agent - taking away a piece of evidence. But he had known with all he was – his brain, his heart, his gut – that Temperance Brennan was not a murderer. And he had wanted to protect her, had risked his career for her. And had risked his life more than once afterwards for her, too. He had threatened to kill somebody ... because of her. Thank God she did not know about it. He did not regret it; she was worth risking his career, his life. Because he loved her.

He had found that out some time ago, but pushed it aside as good as he could.

He had no intention to force her into something she was not ready for... or, his worst fear: into something she did not want. The uncertainty had gnawed on him for some time.

But then something changed... the moment after the explosion. The kiss... the kiss had told him that she wanted him too. And how she had been there for him when he had woken up from the narcosis. How she had known what he was thinking. He had wondered, when she had become that good at reading people, but then he had realised she still was not extraordinarily good at reading people... she was good at reading HIM.

So, if he was right, she felt it too.

He stifled another sigh. But was she ready? Was she ready to let him past these last walls she still was hiding behind? Ready to cross that line he once had drawn? He did not know and not knowing was driving him crazy.

He would have called her, but there were no phones in the ICU and no cell phones allowed... And she would not come to visit him today, because as his partner she simply had no rights, his family came first. And she knew it, adjusted to it, even if she did not want to. Practical and logical. And maybe still blaming herself. He hoped not.

Oh, he was glad to be able to see Parker and he loved his parents, but he longed for Bones. Her mere presence made him feel better, better than any medication ever could. But he could not call her and he did not want somebody else to deliver the message either. It would give away too much of his feelings... and everybody would think they secretly were a couple. She would feel cornered and would run... or at least he feared she would. And the fear held him back. After all, he would be able to see her the next day... it was not that far away. He could manage these few hours without her, couldn't he?

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts and his face lit up when he saw, who opened it.

* * *

As always, Temperance Brennan lost track of time while working. With the help of her team she identified two bodies from limbo and would have started to work on a third one, if Angela had not pointed out, that it was already 7 pm and she had no intention to work all night. Shocked, Brennan glanced at her watch. It was true, she had been working for hours without break, had managed to push all other thoughts away. Zach had – typically – not complained about working longer, just as engrossed in his work as she had been. Hodgins had left them to identify a bug he had mysteriously called "my little beauty". 

She nodded towards Angela, and said: "You're right, Ange. I got carried away."

Angela shrugged. "You would work three days in a row without break – you need somebody to take you to the diner to eat. Ehhhm ...how about eating now? I am hungry."

Brennan felt a little twinge when she heard Angela's words. Usually the somebody to take her to the diner was Booth. She somehow felt guilty that she had managed to work for hours without thinking of him, although distraction had been what she had aimed for.

She gave Angela a wry smile and answered: "Okay. Ten minutes." On the way to her office she dialled Rebecca's number on her mobile. She closed the door behind her and waited, but nobody answered. She sighed and called the number of the ICU and asked about Booth. A nurse courtly told her that she was not allowed to talk about the patients' condition to people who were not family members. Brennan explained that she was Booth's partner and just wanted to know about his progress, but the nurse remained adamant.

Brennan hung up on the nurse somewhere mid-sentence during her lecture about hospital policy. She called Cullen, but his secretary told her, he was still stuck in an important meeting – and that she would have gone home already if it wasn't for that meeting. But at least the secretary told Brennan that Booth's parents had called Cullen today and that she had not heard his condition had worsened. And – she told Brennan– she was pretty sure Cullen would have told her.

Brennan calmed a bit, but she was also hurt. Booth's parents had called Cullen, but nobody thought about informing her. She bit her bottom lip and tried to convince herself that Booth surely had thought about her, but that he could hardly call her himself right now and had enough on his mind with his parents and Parker to visit him... And that his parents maybe would not even know about her.

And just what was there to know, exactly? Officially she was just his work partner.

She took in a deep breath and told herself, that if something bad had happened, Cullen would have told her... that it was a good sign he had not called her. But still, the bad feeling – a mixture of hurt and worry - did not go away completely. She called Rebecca's mobile phone again. It was turned off. 'They will be at the hospital to visit him... No phones at the ICU.' She told herself and left Rebecca a message to call her back.

"Sweetie!" Angela's voice came from the outside. "You said ten minutes... I am staaarving."

"I am coming Angela..." Brennan called back and gathered her things. She inhaled deeply, calming herself and headed out of her office, where Angela, Zach, Hodgins and even Cam were already waiting for her. "And you won't die of hunger that quickly, Ange. In fact, you have to be more concerned about fluids than nutrition."

Angela shook her head impatiently and ushered her friend towards the exit. "My stomach does not care what science says, Bren. It needs food... now!"

Later when they were seated a the diner, Hodgins finally asked. "Any news about Booth?"

Angela glanced at Brennan nervously. She had deliberately avoided the topic, since Brennan had looked a bit upset when she had come out of her office. Not dramatically upset, but still...

Brennan smiled wryly. "I heard that there were no changes, he seems stable. I'll try to visit him tomorrow."

They all were relieved to hear that, but Angela's eyes narrowed a bit. There was something about Brennan's answer that felt... somehow off. But she could not quite point it out... and during a heated argument about the last beetle race between Hodgins and Zach she finally forgot about it altogether.

* * *

Booth smiled at his son, who opened the door, followed by Rebecca. "Daddy!" The blond boy exclaimed. 

"Hey, buddy" Booth answered, frowning at the odd sound of his voice... it sounded rusty and his words were hardly more than a croak.

"Hey Seeley" Rebecca greeted him.

Parker quickly ran to Booth's bed, but stopped only a step away. "Mommy said not to hurt you. Can I ..." He stopped and looked at him questioningly.

"It's alright. Come here...just be gentle." Booth said hoarsely. Parker smiled and embraced his father gently. It still hurt Booth's ribs, but he ignored the pain and savoured the feeling of his son in his arms.

He looked at his ex-girlfriend who stood near his bed. "Thank you, Rebecca. For letting me see him." He croaked out.

She smiled a bit and answered. "You are his father, Seeley. He wanted to see you, too." Booth nodded and released his son from his embrace.

"Come sit, buddy." He patted on the bed. "Daddy can't talk much. Tell me about your day."

Rebecca seated herself in the chair near his bed and Booth and his ex-girlfriend listened to Parker's merry voice telling them about his day at school.

After twenty minutes, Booth tried to stifle a yawn, but he did not really succeed. "Are you tired, Daddy?" Parker asked, his voice so full of concern it made Booth's chest tighten. What a strange feeling, to know, that your child worries about you... For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Rebecca placed a hand on Parker's shoulder. "Daddy needs to rest, Parker. The medicine he has to take makes him sleepy."

Booth smiled at his son and said: "Sorry, buddy. Mommy's right, it's the medicine."

"Can I not stay here with him?" Parker asked, clutching his father's hand tightly.

Rebecca shook her head. "No Parker... Daddy really needs to rest. But your Grandpa Bob called earlier today... you can visit Daddy tomorrow morning with him and Grandma Mary. Okay?"

Parker nodded, smiling a bit at the prospect of spending time with his grandparents... Grandpa Bob was funny and Grandma Mary always bought him sweets or ice cream...

Booth looked at Rebecca, surprised about her words.

She saw the astonished look on his face and shrugged. "It would have been your Saturday with him anyway... and he hardly ever sees your parents."

He mouthed a "Thank you" and ruffled his son's hair – very much alike how his mother had ruffled his hair earlier that day. He had to smile at that thought. He whispered. "Sleep tight, Buddy. Until tomorrow."

Parker kissed his cheek. "You too, Daddy. Bye." He jumped off Booth's bed.

Rebecca rose and quickly squeezed Booth's hand. "Bye, Seeley. Get well soon."

"Bye, Rebecca... and thank you." Booth said. Parker waved good-bye before closing the door and Booth mirrored the gesture. Then they shut the door and Booth fell asleep only moments afterwards.

He had not seen that Rebecca lost something on her way to the door and that Parker accidentally kicked the subject, which caused it to sled under his nightstand. It was a black, small subject. Rebecca's mobile phone.

* * *

Soooooo ... how did you like it?

We will soon find out why nobody called poor Bones... Next update hopefully until Wednesday or Thursday...


	13. Chapter 13

And here we go, the next chapter finally is ready... I hope you like it... Thank you all for your comments and for taking the time to read this... it means a lot to me! And I know I am mean to make it such a hard time for them... but I hope it will be worth the wait!!!

* * *

Chapter 13:

Temperance Brennan was sitting at home on her couch, nervously clutching her mobile phone. Angela had offered to spend another evening with her, but she had declined. And now here she was, all alone.

Rebecca had not called back. Temperance had relied on it... had told herself that Rebecca would call her back as soon as she and Parker left the hospital and she turned her mobile phone on again.

When the call did not come until about 8 30 pm or so, she told herself that Rebecca was having trouble bringing Parker to bed... and would call later...

And now she debated with herself if it was too late to call Rebecca... at 10 pm. 'To hell with it... I call her' She finally thought and pressed the button. But Rebecca's mobile was turned off... and she did not have the number of Rebecca's phone at home.

Something that could be fixed. She rose and went to her wardrobe, where she kept the phone book. It was three years old, but did it matter? She searched for Rebecca's name, but there was no entry. There were two possible explanations: Rebecca had no phone at home or – more likely – Booth had advised her to leave her number unlisted. Brennan sighed.

What was she supposed to do now? She had no idea how to contact Booth's parents, because Cullen had taken care of that. She had tried to reach Cullen at his office, but the meeting surely was over now, because nobody had answered her call. She should have told his secretary to call her back as soon as the meeting was over, but she had forgotten... and had been convinced Rebecca would call back anyway... but since the phone was turned off now... Her thoughts circled around the same thing all over again: Why had Rebecca not called back?

She shuddered, hoping that nothing bad had happened.

She thought of calling the ICU again, but the memory of the conversation with the unfriendly nurse, more or less telling her that anybody who was not family had no rights at all, was still fresh in her mind. Too fresh. And she could hardly storm into the hospital in the middle of the night, demanding to see him... could she? No, she decided, it was a bad idea. Even if she could get to him at this time – unlikely - he needed to rest.

Another possibility occurred to her... Dr. Chen. Surely he would remember her and tell her at least SOMETHING. She did not call the ICU, but the hospital's office and asked if Dr. Chen was available. After a few minute's wait a young man's voice told her that Dr. Chen was busy with an emergency surgery... nobody could tell her how long it would take. She stifled a curse... the nice young man on the phone had done nothing wrong. She thanked him and hung up.

There was nobody left to call... no way for her to get information about Booth's condition. She hugged her knees and stared at the naked wall in front of her. How should she get through that night? Again, she told herself that it was better to not get a call at all than getting a call with bad news...

She stared at the empty wall for what seemed an eternity but in fact only about an hour had passed. How was she supposed to get through those long hours to come, the entire night? She briefly thought of reading, but dismissed the thought immediately... not enough concentration. Going for a walk? No, she decided, maybe somebody would be trying to reach her at her home phone... no, she would not go out. Going to sleep was not an option either... Not with her on that emotional rollercoaster right now...she felt so empty, left out... abandoned.

Finally she decided to get rid of the cold numbness that had started to settle in her limbs... she went to the bathroom and started to run her a bath. 'Maybe a bit of wine will help me relax enough to get at least a few hours sleep." She thought and headed for the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of red wine and chose melancholic music from her CD-collection... something that matched her mood.

Later, when she had lowered herself into the hot water and sipped her wine, desperately longing for a little relaxation, she realised, that no hot water or wine would be able to drive away the chill she felt... because it had it's roots in the tight knot in her chest, that was her heart.

And despite she had been crying so much lately, there were still tears left, soon mingling with her slowly cooling bath water.

'Love' she thought 'is cruel'

* * *

Booth tossed and turned around as much as was possible with his injuries. The medication and sleeping during the day had thrown him out of his normal rhythm and now, in the middle of the night, when everything was quiet and peaceful, he could not sleep. He muttered a curse and looked around in his room. The crumpled note on his nightstand caught his eye: "Call Bones, tell her that I get moved". He frowned at the handwriting, but the thought of Bones placed a picture in his mind.

He smiled, when he pictured her, curled up on her couch with a glass of wine, reading a book, listening to Jazz-music. That peaceful picture of her finally gave him something he could cling to and he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Unfortunately Brennan was not feeling the least bit peaceful and rested. She had spent nearly an hour in her bath tub, crying and drinking wine, her bath water going cold. When that caused her to shiver, she realised she could not stay in the cold water forever. She opened the sink and quickly showered with hot water. Then she wrapped herself into a big bath towel.

She frowned at the empty wine glass that was still standing beside the bath tub. A glass had not been enough. Clothed in nothing else but the bath towel she stumbled over to the kitchen, leaving a trail of water droplets behind her, to refill the glass. She glanced at it doubtingly and finally took the whole bottle with her to the living room. There she lowered herself on the couch and her gaze fell on one of the movies Angela had left. "The Matrix" She had never seen it.

She shrugged and opened her lap top. She was not able to sleep anyway... She might as well watch a movie.

But although she found the imagination of machines with artificial intelligence using humans as nothing more than an energy resource quite interesting and creative, she often caught herself staring at the screen without even noticing what happened.

She did not realise, that the movie had ended and the credits started to fill the screen... she just sat there, sipping her wine and staring at her laptop as if there was still something to watch.

And finally, after hours and hours the wine she had drunken and her tired body won over her anxious thoughts and she fell asleep... some time around 3 am.

She woke with a dry feeling in her mouth and an aching back. When she found out, she had been sleeping in a half-sitting position on her couch, the pain in her back did not surprise her. The dry feeling in her mouth soon was explained by the empty bottle of red wine on her couch table. Dehydration, caused by too much alcohol... Now, that was clear, but why had she been drinking?

The knowledge hit her suddenly. "Booth" She mumbled. Quickly she went to the kitchen and gulped down a glass of cold water. She glanced at the watch: 8:45 am.

She knew the day in hospital started early... she hoped she could see Booth today... She simply did not think she would be able to get through another restless night like the last one.

She decided to stop somewhere for a cup of coffee and went to her bedroom to get dressed.

When she stood in front of her bathroom mirror she frowned at her own reflection. Her eyes were red and a bit swollen and she looked pale and tired. Quickly she put on make-up and left her apartment.

* * *

Booth woke when a nurse entered his room at about 6 am.

In hospital the day starts early... he had known that, but he did not have to like it, did he? The nurse came in, checking his temperature and left, only to return minutes later with a doctor, Booth did not know.

Dr. Krug informed Booth, that Dr. Chen was not available, since he had been doing a surgery all night and now was at home. The doctor checked Booth's injuries and after some time nodded his approval. After the last checks, he finally declared Booth well enough to get moved.

And so, Booth was already in his new room and had eaten breakfast, when his watch showed 9:00 am.

He barely had time to get accustomed to his new room, when somebody knocked on his door. When the door opened, he smiled broadly.

* * *

Sooooooooo, please let me know, what you think...

Who opens the door?????


	14. Chapter 14

UPDATE; UPDATE; UPDATE...

what do you say, I am a hardworking writer, am I not?

And thank you all for your wonderful reviews!!! You rock, people!!!!

here we go...

* * *

Chapter 14:

„Hey Daddy!" Parker entered the room, followed by his grandparents.

"Hey, Bub... wow... you are early!" Booth smiled at his son, who came to his bed to give him a careful hug. Booth's voice still was hoarse, but a lot better than the day before.

"Cause we are going to the zoo later, Daddy. Grandpa Bob says we are going to see lions and zebras and tigers and famingos and ... what else?" Parker tried to recall what other animals his grandfather had been talking about.

"It's flamingos, buddy... and there are loads of animals at the zoo... tell you what, you try to remember them all and we draw a picture of them when I come home from hospital. Sounds like a plan?" Booth smiled at his son.

"Okay, Daddy." Parker nodded enthusiastically. "You know what, Grandma Mary is going to buy me ice cream!"

"You think so?" Booth asked his son and raised an eyebrow.  
Parker nodded again and grinned at his grandmother. "Uh-Uh. You always do, right, Grandma?"

Booth frowned at his mother. "Always, mom?"

She smiled sweetly. "It's the grandparents' privilege to spoil a kid. I remember my dad always gave you chocolate, Seeley."

Booth had to smile at that and nodded, but he towards his son he said: "But not too much, Parker... you know what happens when you eat too much ice cream?"

"My tummy hurts. But I am not going to eat too much, I promise." Parker said. "Pinky swear?" His father asked and Parker giggled. "Pinky swear."

"Rebecca knows you are going to the zoo, right?" Booth asked his parents.  
"Son, of course she knows... we asked her if it was okay." Bob shook his head. "What did you think, we just kidnap your son and feed him to the zebras?"

"Zebras eat grass" Parker corrected. "But lions do not."

"Huh" Booth looked at his son in astonishment. When had he become a little smartass?

"And what do lions eat?" Bob Booth mused.  
"Bugs" Parker shot back. "And earthworms, cause they taste like chicken..."

Robert and Mary Booth exchanged a look of astonishment, but before one of them could say a thing, Booth grinned at them. "Don't ask... he's got that from a movie. But we already discussed that, right, bub... not everything that's shown in a movie has to be true..."

Parker nodded absently, already distracted by playing with a toy car he had brought with him. "Vrouuuum"  
He let the car drive over Booth's bed and his nightstand, the chair and everything else within the reach of a nearly six-year old.

"How are you feeling, Seeley?" Mary Booth asked concerned, and her hand automatically rose to his brow.

"Mother... I am not here because I am feverish, okay? I am doing fine so far... It will take a little time, but I'll be alright." Booth gave back, a little impatiently. "Can't we talk about anything else?"

"Sure... Your brother said to greet you. He would have come too, but Sarah and the kids are all sick at the moment ..." And so his mother started to fill him in on the latest news of his brother's family, while Parker was busily running his toy care over the table and the chairs.

* * *

Temperance Brennan quickly gulped down the cup of coffee she had bought at the diner in front of the hospital.  
Then she hurried inside the hospital and addressed the young woman at the reception.

"Good morning. I wanted to ask if I can see Special Agent Seeley Booth. I don't know if he is still at the ICU."

"Morning. One moment please... Uhm... no, there's not Seeley Booth in the ICU. Are you family?" The young blonde woman asked, the words slurred by the huge amount of gum she was chewing.

Brennan's heart made jump. Not at the ICU anymore? That could only be good news... right? A lump formed in her throat. What if there were bad news?

"No. My name is Dr. Temperance Brennan. I am his work partner. I would like to see him." She explained.

"Sorry, Ma'am. I can't tell you anything. I've got a list of family members here and you're not on it. Only family members allowed to see him, you know. I am not allowed to tell ya anything." The young woman produced a big gum-bubble and smiled more or less apologetically.

"What? But... Why not? I am his partner!" She shook her head impatiently.

"Ah, you're FBI? Show me your badge please!" The young woman seemed to be more interested now.

"I don't have a badge. I am a scientist, I am not with the FBI, but I am Booth's work partner. Could you please tell me where he is?" Brennan slowly was losing the last bit of patience she had possessed.

"Na, sorry, not happening. See, there's the rules, ma'am. I am not allowed to give information on the medical status or the whereabouts of a federal agent, unless you're FBI too or part of the family!" The words obviously had been memorised and now were getting recited.

Brennan looked at the younger woman incredulously. "Are you kidding me? He's been in hospital before and I was able to visit him!"

"New rules, Ma'am. Got the memo a month ago. Look, I am sorry, but I can't tell you anything." The young woman produced another bubble.

Brennan clenched her fists. "But I need to see him... you know what, I'll call his boss. Deputy Director Cullen from the FBI... if he tells you I can visit him, you'll have to let me, right?"

The blond woman shrugged. "Guess so."

Brennan closed her eyes for a brief moment and tried to keep her temper. She quickly pulled out her cell phone, but before she could dial a number, the young woman said: "No mobile phones. You gotta go out for that." The sweet smile she gave Brennan was one of the falsest things she had ever seen.

Muttering a curse, Brennan retreated from reception and quickly left through the main entrance. She pressed the phone to her ear and waited for somebody to pick up.

A minute later she was close to rip out somebody's throat. Cullen was in a meeting, his secretary had told her, and no, she was not able to help her...  
"How many meetings can one man have?" Temperance Brennan hissed. A young man, who just left through the main entrance gave her a puzzled look and she shot back a death glare. The young man quickened his pace.

Brennan inhaled deeply and went back inside towards the reception. "He is in a meeting. Nobody knows how long it will take. Can you call Dr. Chen, maybe? He knows me!"

Between two big, pink gum bubbles Blondie informed her that Dr. Chen was not available today, because he had had a night shift. Brennan let out a shuddering breath. She was not going to lose her temper... but she had to see Booth. She just had to make sure he was alright.

"Look, I have to see him, okay? Can't you make an exception?" She tried again.

The young woman shook her head. "Nu-uh. No exceptions. I'll make one exception today and tomorrow there are ten exceptions... no." Another fake smile. "Sorry"

That was it... the hollow, false "Sorry" ate away all self-control Brennan still had managed to hold.  
"You are enjoying that, right? Telling me I can't see him. You... you... I HAVE TO SEE HIM!" She yelled, her eyes shooting daggers at the blonde woman in front of her.

One minute later, a kicking and cursing Temperance Brennan was dragged out of the building by two security men.

* * *

"I'm bored!" Parker announced. The adults were talking about Auntie Sarah and Parker's cousins and their illness. As if the flu was that interesting! He tugged at his grandfather's sleeve.

"We will leave soon, Parker." Grandpa Bob said. "Why don't you take a look out of the window and tell me if you can see the zoo from here already?"

Parker hopped over to the window and looked outside. "Daddy!" He shouted an instant later

"One moment, Bub." Booth gave back, still engrossed in the conversation he had with his parents.

"But Daddy, there's Bones!" Parker pointed outside.

"Yeah, Parker... I... What?" Booth turned towards his son. "You mean Bones... as in Dr. Brennan? Daddy's partner?"

Parker nodded enthusiastically and Booth smiled broadly. So, Bones was going to visit him... could that day get any better?

"Daddy... why is Dr. Bones fighting with two men?" Parker suddenly asked.

"What?... She is.. WHAT?" He nearly tried to jump out of the bed to have a look himself, but the searing pain that radiated from his back told him that quick moves were a very, very bad idea.

"They have uniforms... like police men..." Parker observed and Booth's eyes widened. He shot a pleading look at his father. "Dad... please, have a look and tell me what you see!"

Robert Booth moved towards the window and looked down towards the square in front of the entrance. "I see young beautiful woman fighting with two security men. Whewww... she's furious!"

Booth briefly closed his eyes. "Parker, are you sure it's Bones..." Parker nodded enthusiastically.  
"Figures, who else would pick a fight with the hospital's security? Dad, open the window and tell her... I don't know... Just stop her!"

Robert Booth opened the window and hollered. "Dr. Brandon!"

"Brennan!" Booth and his mother corrected, but Parker already shouted: "BONES!"

* * *

Temperance Brennan heard something that sounded suspiciously like her last name, but since one of the security men was constantly talking to her, she could not be sure. She moved her head to look back to the main entrance, but there was no familiar face.

But then suddenly – she heard something very, very familiar: "BONES!"

She froze... The name was familiar... and the voice too, albeit not the voice that usually came along with the nickname. 'Parker' she thought and looked around frantically.

"Up here" A more mature voice added and when she looked up she saw Parker laughing down at her from a window at the third floor, waving frantically. An elderly man was standing beside him and he looked so much like Booth, she knew it had to be his father. She blinked once, not daring to believe her eyes at first... when she opened them again, they were still there, waving.

* * *

haha... and in the next chapter there will be the long-promised, long-overdue FLUFF!!!!!! please, please, please let me know, how you liked this one!!!


	15. Chapter 15

Hey people… thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews…. here we goooooo...

* * *

Chapter 15:

"Let that girl go!" Booth's father told the two men.  
Brennan was far too busy being relieved at the sight of a laughing Parker to object to the term 'girl'. 'Parker is happy, that means Booth has to be okay.' She thought and though a smile started to cover her face, a single tear escaped her eyes. 'Oh, thank you... God, thank you...'

She hardly noticed that the two security men had obeyed immediately and that their grip on her arms loosened, while she was staring up at the window.

"Come up here, Dr. Brendon" Booth's father invited. "It's Brennan... or Bones" Parker interrupted and her smile deepened. "Room 3-1-3" Booth's father continued and smiled down at her, gesturing to her to hurry.

And she did. She hurried inside, grinning broadly at the receptionist, who looked at her in pure astonishment. Brennan shouted: "Room 313! Thanks for not helping at all, Blondie!" She took a moment to admire the woman's dumb-struck expression, but then she sped towards the stairs... no way she was going to lose more time waiting for the elevator. No way.

* * *

"Did they let her go... Is she coming up?" Booth asked his father anxiously. Robert Booth closed the window and nodded. "Ran back in at full speed... she should be here any minute."

Booth smiled as relief washed over him. He still could not believe Bones had picked a fight with the security men... that woman sure as hell was full of surprises. His heartbeat picked up a bit, when he realised he was finally going to see her now.

A few moments later they heard the quick clatter of heels on the hallway and an instant later the door was flung open. "Booth" She exclaimed when she saw him, a bit breathless.

"Hey Bones! How come you always end up fighting security men, hmm?" He grinned at her, but when he took in her appearance he suddenly turned serious. "Bones... what's wrong?" She was pale and although she was wearing make-up, he could tell that her eyes were a bit swollen. She had been crying not long ago.

"You... you..." She stood in the door frame, not able to move. She could not believe what she saw. He was sitting in his bed as if there had not been a surgery at all. Still pale, but he looked a lot better... and he was talking... his voice a bit hoarse, but nonetheless...  
There he was, not intubated anymore and able to talk... and he had not even called her. He had not even thought of informing her, that he got moved to another room. The relief of seeing him like that soon turned into a feeling of disappointment... and pain.  
She had acknowledged to herself, that she loved him, but seeing that he had not even thought about her, told her he did not return the feeling. She had had doubts about the depth of his feelings anyway, but KNOWING it... was hard. Harder than she had imagined.

But she was not willing to show it... no, she told herself, she would not show how hurt she was. To what purpose? She did not want pity, she had had enough of that in her life. She had thought she knew him...  
Slowly, over years, he had broken down all her defences... and now he had broken her heart. She clenched her teeth, desperately trying to force down all the emotions that were boiling in her.

"Bones?" He looked at her, his face wearing an expression of utter astonishment... and worry. He tried to read her face, tried to find out what she was thinking. But this was one of the rare times he had no clue at all, no clue what could have happened. He nearly forgot about the presence of his parents and his son, while trying to understand what was going on inside her.

"Temperance, talk to me... What's wrong?" Booth tried again, his gaze fixed on her.

She bit her bottom lip. He had used her first name... and as always, it was slowly eating away her last bit of control. Her voice was shaky, when she answered: "What's WRONG? I... I nearly punched that blond girl at the reception to get a bit of information on how you are and ... you are apparently well. Talking and all... Not that I wish it was otherwise, mind you... but... I... nobody told me a thing, Booth. But, well...after all... I am just your partner. And your family is here... so ...I should probably go." After choking out these last words she turned around, fighting the tears that threatened to fill her eyes again.

Booth was speechless for a moment, but then he stopped her: "NO! Temperance... stay." His voice sounded nearly desperate.

She stopped in her movement, but she did not turn around. "What, Booth... I ... have things to do." She said, her voice low.

"Wait, please... Bones...please." His voice was soft when he spoke to her, but when he addressed his parents the tone changed. "Mom, Dad... you were supposed to call her! It's not like I asked you to call many people, just two. Rebecca and her... how... could you forget about it?" His voice sounded confused... and hurt. Her heart skipped a beat... he HAD thought of her?

"BOB!" Mary Booth shot her husband a harsh look. "You said you took care of it!"

Robert Booth raised his hands, as if to defend himself against the accusing looks on the faces of his son and his wife. "I did not have a phone number of your her."

Booth gasped. "And so you just ... decided to forget about it? It was important to me." And then, in a lower voice " She is important to me." He could not believe it... his own father letting him down like that?

When she heard his words, Brennan closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She was important to him?

"No!" Robert Booth shook his head. "Son, you should know me better... I would never do that. I had no phone number of your partner, so I called you boss... that...what's his name ... Mr. Cullen. He had called us and so I had his number. I told him about how you were going to be moved and asked him to inform your colleagues... I don't know why he did not tell her..." He hesitated, when he saw how his son shook his head.

"Oh, Bob!"  
"Oh, Dad!"

Both his wife and his son exclaimed the words at the same time and they still looked at him accusingly.

"What?" His gaze wandered from Seeley's eyes to Mary's and back.

"Bones is not with the FBI, Dad. When you told Cullen to inform my colleagues, he did not think of her...He is not in charge..." Booth explained and he looked at his partner. She was still standing in the doorframe, with her back to him, but he could see that her hand was trembling.

"But ... you said she is your partner!" Bob Booth gave back, utterly confused.

"She is... but she's also a scientist, Bob... works at the Jeffersonian and writes books." Mary Booth added.

"You knew?" Bob asked his wife, his voice full of surprise.

"OF COURSE I KNEW, Robert... I told you: He is my son, he tells me THINGS!" Mary rolled her eyes. "He would tell you, too... if you would ever listen..."

"Oh..." Bob Booth grinned sheepishly. "Mhm... I guess ... Instead of me, YOU should have done that calling people thing, eh?"

When nobody grinned back, he quickly straightened his face again and said in a serious voice: "I am really sorry, Seeley... I thought Mr. Cullen would call her" Then he turned towards Brennan and added "I am sorry, Dr. Brandon."

"Not Brandon... Brennan, Grandpa!" Parker corrected, sounding a bit annoyed, too.

A strange noise came from the door and the members of the Booth family watched how Temperance Brennan's shoulders shook lightly.  
"It's okay, Parker" She said, her voice somehow muffled... and when she turned around, Booth saw by what the strange noise earlier had been caused: She was laughing. And crying. Both at the same time.

His eyes widened. "Bones?" His voice was a soft whisper.

She shook her head and both her laughter and her crying stopped abruptly, when she mused about the amount of coincidences that had kept her from finding out anything about Booth's condition.  
After a moment, she whispered: "Cullen did NOT call me. Rebecca did not call back. Dr. Chen was not available... I tried to call Cullen, but he was forever in meetings..." Her voice trailed off and she swallowed hard, remembering how desperate she had felt... so full of fear.

"You called Rebecca?" Booth asked, a bit astonished. He remembered he once had given her his ex-girlfriends number... in case anything happened to him, he wanted her to call her ... to tell Parker.

"I left her a message... to call me back... yesterday. But she did not call back... and her mobile was turned off. I did not find her number in the phone book." Brennan continued.

"Mommy lost her phone. She can't find it." Parker threw in. All eyes suddenly were on the boy.

"Oh" Brennan softly said. "So she probably did not get my message at all." The tight feeling in her chest loosened more and more... all coincidences... nobody had had the intention to leave her out...

"And you did not find a number in the phone book, cause I told her not to get it listed..." Booth murmured.

"I thought so." Brennan gave back and a tiny smile crept on her face.  
Booth, however, did not return the smile. He looked at his mother. "Mom... do you still have that notepad somewhere in your bag?"

She nodded and started to rummage in her purse. A few moments later she handed him the notepad and the pen. He scribbled something down and handed it back to his mother.  
"There... now you've got her phone numbers. Home, office, cell phone. This is not going to happen again, okay? Next time you call her! Got that?" Booth's voice was stern.

His mother nodded, but also added in a soft voice "I'd rather not see you in hospital ever again, Seeley."

Brennan looked at Booth incredulously. "You know all these numbers by heart? Not even Angela knows them all..." Her voice trembled a bit, her mind processing this bit of information.

"He always had the knack of memorising numbers." Robert Booth said, which earned him an annoyed look of his son and a chiding "Bob!" from his wife.

"What?" He asked, oblivious to the deeper meaning of his son memorising all the phone numbers.  
Mary Booth rolled her eyes and grumbled. "You really have no social skills at all. Tactless to the very core of your bones."

A sudden laughing fit erupted from Brennan. Booth would have joined her, but his injury did not respond well to laughing, so he merely chuckled.  
"No social skills..." Brennan choked out, remembering that Booth had often used the same words to describe HER " and tactless to the very core..." She shook with laughter.  
"Of your bones." Booth finished. "Mom... that was..." He stopped, chuckled and shook his head, winking at his partner.

Mary Booth frowned for a moment, then she suddenly smiled too. "OH! A not intended pun. But it's true anyway... aaaaaaand I think we should get going now, Bob."

"Why? The zoo isn't going anywhere..." Robert Booth mumbled, but his wife punched him playfully in the arm. "Let's leave the young folk... I am sure they have things to talk about. And Parker wants to see his lions, right?" Parker nodded enthusiastically, already tugging at his grandfather's sleeve impatiently. "Come on, Grandpa."

Mary Booth gave her son an understanding look. Contrary to her husband she had understood why Booth knew his partner's phone numbers by heart, why his face had lit up when she had opened the door and why he had been so hurt when she had told him, nobody had called her.  
He loved her... and Mary Booth was ready to bet her purse with all it's content on one thing: Temperance Brennan loved him back... Why else would that young woman have been so desperate to start a fight with the hospital security? And the way she looked at him...

Now all Mary Booth could do, was trying to get her husband out of the room before he said something stupid... again. She waved a good-bye at her son and said: "We will come to see you afterwards, Seeley... It's been a pleasure, Dr. Brennan."  
She winked at her son and shoved Parker and his grandfather out of the room before they could object.

* * *

THERE!!! You saw it? Fluff... and there will be more, now with only booth and brennan in the room... WOHOOOOOO!

What do you say???


	16. Chapter 16

Toot-toot!

Another update…. Well, I am BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, don't you agree ;)

Thank you all so much for your reviews,... I can't believe it... more than 160 ... wow!!! you rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* * *

Chapter 16: 

Temperance Brennan stepped aside, when Booth's family went towards the door to leave the room... she looked a bit astonished. She had thought his parents and Parker would stay longer. Instead she now had the impression, they were hurrying out. She frowned a bit, trying to understand why they would leave now. It could not be of her, could it? And the zoo surely was not going to "go anywhere" as Booth's Dad had said... so why hurry?

She saw how Booth's mother winked at her son, while she was directing her husband and grandson out of the room and barely had time to could give back a lame "Nice to meet you too." before they had already closed the door behind them. Booth had only waved at them, knowing he would see them later.

Now the room was suddenly silent, with only the two of them left... She stared at him and he looked back. Neither of them broke the silence...

When she did not move ,and it was clear to him that she would not say a single word anytime soon, he finally cleared his throat and explained: "Well... those were my parents, as you may have guessed." He smiled a bit, almost looking shy.

She nodded courtly. "I gathered that. You called them Mom and Dad. And you and your father look very much alike. Same height and structure, similar facial bones." Her response was made in that dissociated voice of hers she always used for commenting on anthropological observations.

Booth frowned. Was she building walls again? He hoped not...

"Right" he said lightly, but then his voice became more serious. "Bones... I am sorry. Sorry that you had to go through all that."

She looked aside. "I feared you were dead." She murmured, and her voice was still not back to normal. He gasped at her words, but remained silent, waiting for her to continue. And after some time she did...

"Dr. Chen had told me your prospects were pretty good, but ... sometimes bad things happen and... I just did not know. But then I thought, if something bad had happened, Cullen surely would have called me. He would have to officially inform me, if something happened to my partner, right? But... I was scared, Booth. I hoped that somebody would call me, and then on the other hand I was scared if the phone rang, it would be Cullen with bad news... Waiting...not knowing... is ... It's cruel..."

He briefly closed his eyes. It had been even harder for her, than he had thought. God, he should have known.

She had spent half her life not knowing what had happened to her parents. What a miserable way to grow up... and now she had been given a reminder of how it had been... His heart ached, when he could only imagine how it had been for her, to wonder if he was alive... Yes, indeed... not knowing had to be cruel.

"Bones... Temperance... If I could change what happened, I would. But I can't...I am sorry,... just come here, won't you? Sit down and stay with me for a while..." His voice was hoarse, but not only because of the after-effects of the intubation that caused his throat still to feel sore... His voice was hoarse and thick with emotion.

She smiled wryly, when she heard his words and the undertone. "It's not your fault." She softly whispered, then she quickly closed the remaining distance to the chair beside his bed and sat down.

"I know. But you got hurt ... because of me." He softly replied, looking at her.

"Ehm...Booth...You are the one who's lying in the hospital bed. I did not get hurt." Bones reminded him, still avoiding his eyes.

"You thought you were left out, ... that nobody thought you should get informed. And I know it must have hurt like hell. But that's not what I wanted, right? I wanted my parents to call you, Bones. Because you are important to me. And because I know I would have gone mad if it had been me in your place." Booth softly explained.

She let out a short, humourless laughter. "You are FBI. They would have told you, if it had been the other way round... But I have no badge to shove into people's faces to get the information I want." She closed her eyes, trying to fight down the memories of how miserable she had felt. She was here now, with him... and he was alright. Shouldn't that be enough for her? Should she not be happy now?

When she suddenly felt something touching her hand, her eyes snapped open. She looked down at her hands, which were resting in her lap. A piece of paper? She had not even heard a movement...

She glanced at Booth, but now he had closed his eyes, a painful expression on his face. He must have leant too far forward to be able to drop the paper in her lap... he had stretched too far and his wound hurt

Worried about him, she asked: "Are you okay, Booth? Should I get a nurse?" Hesitantly, she moved a bit closer.

"I am fine... Look at it." Booth answered, his voice a bit breathless, but it seemed the pain had faded, or at least simmered down enough for him to regain control.

Her gaze went back to the crumpled piece of paper in her lap and she smoothed it a bit to be able to read the scribbled words.

"Call Bones, tell her that I get moved." She read them out aloud, her voice a little bit shaky.

"I wrote that, when my parents visited me and I was still intubated. Because I did not want you to worry about me... And I had to write it down, Bones, because not even my own parents know me well enough to just read what I want from the expression on my face... Only you know me well enough to do that. Only you."

He cleared his throat, and lifted his hand to stop her, when she opened her mouth to say something.

"Sh... I am not finished. I kept that note, because ... looking at your name made me feel better, you know."

Her heartbeat was fast now and once more her eyes were brimming with tears. She managed a smile and teasingly she whispered. "That's not my name. It's a nickname."

He shook his head. "No. Not just a nickname... it's a term of affection."

His voice was husky...and a tear slid down her cheek. When he saw this he lifted his hand to her face and softly wiped the tear away with his thumb. His palm was warm on her cheek and both remembered the last time she had been next to his bed, his thumb caressing the soft skin on her cheek... and how he had dropped his hand when she had told him she had been praying for him.

"Thank you for praying for me, Temperance. Thank you for being part of my life." He whispered, his voice barely audible.

She took in a deep breath and, if of it's own accord, her head moved until her lips rested against his palm and she placed a soft kiss on the warm inside of his strong hand.

He felt warmth spreading through his body and his breath caught at the suddenness of the sensation.

"Temperance" he whispered, his voice a very low, husky murmur. She closed her eyes at the sound of him speaking her given name, she let it wash over her like a sweet, soft caress.

And that's how he had meant it... because he had tried to lay all the love he felt for her in his voice, when he had spoken her name.

"Oh, Booth." She whispered. "I was so scared. I... just ...I could not bear to lose you." The admission surprised even herself... but somehow it was okay to be honest now. It was Booth and he would understand her. Somehow he always did.

"Don't be scared anymore, Temperance." He gave back and his thumb slowly caressed the smooth skin over her cheek bone.

"I am not... not anymore." She answered and smiled at him. They stared in each others eyes and somehow time seemed to stop again.

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What do you say???? Do you like it? Fluff enough for the moment?

I did not think I would be able to write it today, but it just ... BEGGED to be written asap... Next update really may take longer this time, **lol**

**and yes, there is going to be a kiss soonish... ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

Finally, here we go... the next update… Thank you all for your reviews, they really keep me going!!!!

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Chapter 17:

They stared in each others eyes and Brennan moved a little closer towards Booth, when a sudden knock at the door interrupted them. Brennan jumped away from him at the sound.

A nurse opened the door, giving them an apologetical look. "I am sorry, Mr. Booth, but this was found in your room at the ICU... Do you know to whom it belongs?"

The nurse presented a small, black item. A mobile phone. Booth smiled. "Yeah... I know. That's Rebecca's. You can leave it here, my son is going to come back later, he can take it home to his mother." The nurse left the room

Brennan stared at the small phone lying in his palm. "You damn little thing" She choked out. "I hate you."

'And how irrational is that?' she asked herself only a moment later.

Booth grinned at her. "You want to throw it against the wall? I won't tell and Rebecca thinks she lost it anyway."

Brennan chuckled. "No. Although it might be fun... it would be a very irrational and senseless thing to do. And I don't want to damage it. It's not mine."

"Life is not always rational, Bones." Booth commented, his gaze on her and she could tell by the husky tone of his voice, that he was not talking about phones anymore. Without averting his gaze from her, he placed the phone on the nightstand and then took her hand in his. "Where were we?" He asked, with a mischievous smile.

She looked away, trying to sort out her feelings. The moment earlier had been so intense, so perfect... all she had wanted to do was to lean in and kiss him and if the nurse had not knocked there sure as hell would have been a lip lock. Her stomach fluttered at the mere thought of it. But now the spur of the moment was gone and left her unsure. She did not know what to do now. They needed to talk, they had to sort things out, right? Maybe kissing was not such a good idea right now... They had to discuss what they were going to do now and how they were...

"Temperance, you think too much." Booth teased lightly, pulling her hand close to his face, effectively disturbing her thoughts.

"What?" She asked shooting him a confused look.

"You... think ... too... much." He slowly said and between every word he placed a soft kiss on her fingertips... the contact and the gesture made her shiver. Was it normal to react like that to a kiss on her HAND?, she wondered.

"Temperance... if I could move like I want to, I would kiss you right now... but I can't... so maybe you could help out a little?" Booth's voice was warm and soft, just like his hand covering hers. He gently pulled at her hand and she gave up the last bit of her resistance and slowly moved nearer, her face stopping only a few inches before his and their breaths mingled. He loosened his grip on her arm and both his hands moved to her face, gently cupping it. They stared in each others eyes again and Brennan could feel another flutter in her stomach, less gentle and subtle than before... No man had ever made her feel like that... And they were not even kissing yet. But the intense stare of those deep brown eyes... so full of passion and love. Her breath caught and when she heard the words he murmured, his voice so husky and full of passion, she could only be relieved, she was sitting... She was convinced, her knees would have buckled under her if it had not been for the chair.

Booth saw her move closer, felt how her breath mingled with his, a warm, soft caress on his face. She stopped a few inches in front of him and he simply had to move his hands up to her face, cupping it, feeling the soft skin, touching her. No other woman had ever aroused this feelings in him... not to that intensity. He had thought he had loved Rebecca... he had been sure back then, but now, with Temperance Brennan in front of him, looking into that crystal blue eyes of hers, his former experiences seemed pale and incomplete. And with her beautiful face in front of him, her lips slightly parted, he could not do anything else, but whisper: "I need you so much Temperance... You make me feel complete."

He saw how she trembled a bit at the sound of his words, but after a moment, she caught herself and quickly closed the last remaining distance between them. The kiss was all at once: a soft, loving touch of their lips, but also a passionate dance of their tongues. The flutter in Brennan's stomach suddenly became a roaring thunderstorm and her kiss grew even more passionate. Booth responded in the same way, with all the love and hunger for her he had locked away these past months.

When they finally pulled apart again – a lifetime or only moments later... they could not tell - they both were panting heavily.

Booth saw, how Temperance pulled back a little more, settling herself back into the chair again... some time during the kiss, she nearly had crawled on the bed. He felt a tingling sensation dance through his body, that was so much more than just raw desire. It was love, unconditional love for that woman, and he knew it.

His heart was pounding fast, while he watched her, curious on her reaction.

She had closed her eyes during their kiss and she still was not ready to open them. She let her tongue run over her slightly swollen upper lip, savouring his taste and observing the feeling of hot and cold shivers that went through her body with a strangely distanced interest. She never had felt like that before, she was sure of that... never in her life. This was not about desire... desire was only part of it. Part of that whole, scary, wonderful thing called love.

When he saw, how her tongue darted out of her mouth to lick her lip, he moaned softly. The noise caused her to open her eyes. Her voice was raw with emotion when she whispered: "This was... amazing."

A gentle smile appeared on his face and in a low, husky murmur he answered. "You are amazing."

She smiled back, her hand gripping his tightly and she answered. "You too. The most amazing man I've ever met."

He sighed at her words and closed his eyes for a brief moment. "You know me, Bones, you know me better than anyone else. I am not perfect and I will never be... but I can try to give my best for you ...everyday... if you want it." His eyes opened again and locked with hers, the question in his gaze as well as in his words.

"I want you." She simply said, her eyes glistening suspiciously. "Exactly the way you are." She watched him let out a relieved, breath and saw how the expression in his eyes changed. He had been scared... scared she would not dare to love him back, scared she would run.

She swallowed hard and croaked. "I am not an easy person, Booth... but you know me better than anyone else, too...So if you can live with my flaws..." She stopped, when she saw him shake his head. He smiled and said: "No flaws."

"What? Booth... I am... damaged... my past... it's... and my family... I mean..." She stammered, but she stopped, when he touched her lips with his index finger.

"There are no flaws. There may be some bumps and bruises, some scars, maybe... but they are all part of you and make you what you are. And you are beautiful in every way." He said seriously, his brown eyes holding hers.

"Oh, Booth." She whispered and once more tears welled up in her blue eyes and threatened to fall. She leant forward, turning a bit and resting her elbow on his bed, then she lowered her head very gently on his shoulder and whispered: "I don't know what I would do without you."

"No need to fret anymore" he mumbled against her hair, ignoring the pain where her arm made contact with his rib. "I am here and I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon"

"A menace? " she smiled and closed her eyes, felt his breast vibrate a little, when he tried to stifle a laughter. "Stop joking, Bones... laughing hurts."

"Okay" She breathed and after a long moment of silence she whispered. "I love you." She heard him hold his breath for a moment, then she felt how he placed a soft kiss on her hair and the small, loving gesture made her heart jump. "I love you too." He whispered back.

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What do you say? I tried to give you FLUFF!!!!!!!!!!! in it's purest form... did it work? Reviews make me VERY happy ;) 


	18. Chapter 18

Well, what a surprise... this story is writing itself... somehow. Who would have thought I'd be able to finish the next chapter that quickly...

Here we go!!!!… AND: Thank you all for your reviews... more than 190 now... that's just overwhelming!!!!

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Chapter 18:

Her head rested against his shoulder and they were both content with each others company for some time.

After a while, Temperance Brennan cleared her throat and said, smiling a bit: "You know, I am really glad you became my partner, not Freeman."

Booth grinned, "Me too, Bones, me too." Then after a short pause he suddenly tensed a bit. "Why do you know about Freeman? I never told you, that I took over his case, when he had that accident."

"Well, he told me..." Brennan stated the obvious.

"You met him at the FBI headquarters?" Booth still sounded a little confused.

"No. He picked me up here... he was the FBI agent that got assigned to make sure I was safe." Brennan answered, shifting a little.

"WHAT?" His gasp startled her and she sat up to look at his face. It wore an expression of utter surprise.

"What's so special about that?" She asked, frowning a little at his outburst.

His brow furrowed a little and he murmured "Why would Cullen assign a senior agent of the homicide division to make sure you are safe?"

"Well, why not?" She gave back. "You've done that too!" She reminded him of the case were he stayed at her apartment to keep her safe... and had ended up blown up by a bomb in her fridge.

He shook his head lightly. "That was different, Bones. I am your partner and I was not officially assigned as "your bodyguard" ... I decided myself to make sure you are safe. It's not common to assign a senior special agent to such a task... It's not rookie work, either, mind you... it's just a little strange..." His voice trailed off, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Well, he wasn't such a bad company. I did not like him in the beginning, but later we kind of... started new and I think he is ... similar to you, Booth.. in some ways..." Brennan said, observing him.

Suddenly his eyes widened and he exclaimed. "Of course... well now, that's what I call foresight."

Now it was her turn to look puzzled. When he did not explain his words, she asked: "What are you talking about."

His eyes narrowed a bit and he covered her hand with his. "You are not going to like it." He reluctantly answered.

"What, Booth... just tell me." She was impatient now, wondering what he had found out.

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Promise not to freak out." He all but begged her. She rolled her eyes and answered. "I can't make that promise if I don't know what you are talking about."

He opened his eyes and his gaze was begging her to just give in. "Well,... okay... if it means something to you: I promise to try not to freak out." She carefully picked her words.

He raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Better than nothing..." He drew in a deep breath before continuing. "It's just a suspicion... although I am pretty sure I am right. Cullen assigned Freeman to watch over you, because he wanted you to get to know each other."

She frowned and asked "And why, exactly, would he want us to get to know each other?"

"Because he would have replaced me...in case I would not have made it. He would have worked with you." Booth answered quickly... and waited for her reaction. Nothing? He really had thought she would yell or something. He quickly added. "He wanted you to bond with each other... just in case something happened to me... you would have already known him and it would have been easier for you two to work together. Cullen just wanted to..." but he was interrupted. Ah, now came the outburst he had been waiting for.

"How dare he!" she yelled.

"Sh,sh... Bones... this is a hospital." Booth tried to calm her down a bit.

"And I don't give a damn. How dare he just... smuggle Freeman in like that. So he was prepared for losing you? Ready to replace you with another agent? Well, I was not! And I will never be. He... how could he be thinking I would just continue with my work like that!" She had jumped to her feet and had started to pace, unable to keep herself calm. "Do people really think I am that cold?"

"Bones,... please... It's just a suspicion, okay? And I am here, right? No need for replacements of any sort." Booth said in a soothing voice.

"I would not want to work with somebody else, Booth." She pressed through gritted teeth, still agitated, stopping in her pacing a few feet away from his bed.

His face wore a gentle smile and he extended a hand to her. "You won't have to. I am still here and I don't plan on leaving soon, remember? Come here, Bones... I want you here, with me, okay?" His voice was warm and gentle and her rage quickly died out again. She felt a little embarrassed at her outburst... she smiled wryly and closed the distance to his bed, taking his warm hand into hers. "I am sorry. I promised to try to stay calm."

He grinned at her, that cocky grin she had missed so much, and teased: "Well I guess in your case "Nomen est Omen" does not apply, right, Temperance?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Jerk" She whispered, her voice full of tenderness.

"Squint" he gave back, his tone equally tender and loving. Hearing that undertone she felt her chest tighten again. It was still such a new and wondrous feeling it made her eyes sting a little bit. Love... how odd. How wonderful.

She lowered herself on the chair beside his bed again and gently squeezed his hand. He knew her well enough to tell, that she was going to say something, but was either thinking about the exact words or mustering up courage.

So he waited, just holding her hand, his thumb rubbing little circles on the back of her hand.

"Booth..." She licked her dry lips. "Freeman told me something else... He said you and him ... you were in a pretty bad situation a few months ago... That you had no idea if you were going to make it out alive and that you told each other what to do, if one of you survives and the other not..." Her gaze fixed on him and when he gave her an encouraging nod, she continued. "He said you told him to tell Parker that you love him. And to take care of ..."

"My Bones. That's you." He finished, when her voice trailed off.

"I know that. Freeman did not... not at that time... he thought you meant it...literally." Brennan gave back.

Booth's eyebrows rose. "What? My body?" He chuckled, but stopped with a painful expression on his face. "Uh... I think they cut down my ration of pain killers."

"They can't take away all the pain. Pain is part of the healing." Brennan stated in her 'lecturing' voice.

Booth snorted. "I know that. It still hurts. But,... we were talking about something else..." He reminded her.

"Ah, well..." She averted her gaze from his face and started to fidget uncomfortably. "I was just wondering... If... you... I mean why did you ask him to take care of me?"

A gentle smile covered his face and he raised his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh-uh. That was not your real question. You wanted to ask if I was already in love with you at that time, right?" She still did not look at him, but he noticed how her body tensed a little at his words... he knew he had hit home.

"I was. I am. I don't know when it happened, exactly, Bones... but I know I already felt kind of jealous when you were dating Sully." He whispered.

Her eyebrows shot up and she looked at him. "Sully? But... you said... I should go. Sail into the sunset with him." She frowned a little. "Why?" She sounded confused and he knew she was. And when she was not able to understand something, she had to ask questions, had to find answers. He just hoped he was able to give the right answers.

"Temperance... You just want the people you love to be happy. If sailing away with Sully had been the key to your happiness... Well... I don't know how, but I would have managed to get over it... somehow." He sounded a bit unsure himself... and relieved, because she was sitting here with him now instead of being on a boat with Sully. Thank God.

She watched him and nodded a bit. She could believe that he had wanted her to be happy... that was him, all noble. But there was something else... "You never said anything. Not a single word."

It was not a real question, but he decided to answer anyway. "And you have no idea how hard it was sometimes. But... I feared... it would scare you away... and I did not want to risk our friendship."

"Scare me away?" She repeated, giving him a questioning look.

"Look, Bones. I did not want to... put pressure on you. I did not think you were ready... You had to sort out your feelings yourself and now you have, right?" There was a hint, just a hint of doubt in his voice. She was not going to ... take it back now, was she?

She had heard it. Had heard that little, doubtful stain. "Booth! I am not going to change my mind... I have sorted it out... although I needed Angela to understand it all." She shook her head, when she recalled her own ignorance. "I do love you." She said in a steady voice, looking him straight into the eyes. "I never said that to a man before..." She added a moment later, almost surprised.

Booth's eyes widened. "Really? Oh...Bones... were you never really in love before?"

She bit her bottom lip and shrugged lightly. "No. I never felt what I am feeling now."

A small smile tugged on his lips when he gave back. "I never felt like that before either... But I have been in love before... it just never was... the whole 100 , I guess... "

"Hm" She mumbled. "I think I never reached more than a quarter then."

"That's sad... " He started, but she interrupted him, giving him a stern look. "Don't pity me!" She demanded.

"I am not, okay? You interrupted me. I wanted to say: That's sad, but maybe I'll be able to make it up to you. I will try... just let me try, okay?" His voice sounded almost pleading. She bit her bottom lip, but she nodded.

He let out the breath he had been holding without noticing, and after a long time of silence he murmured.

"I will try to make you happy." He said, his voice low and promising.

"I certainly hope so." She answered, wiggling her brow suggestively.

"Uh-uh... quick change of mood." He teased, but then he added "Happy in every sense of the word, Temperance... you'll just have to let me try, okay?"

She nodded again, more enthusiastic now and smiled at him. "You already made me happy."

"Really? How did I do that?" Booth asked, his eyebrows rising slightly.

"By staying alive." She simply said and closed the distance between them to give him a sweet, loving kiss.

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okay... please let me know what you think! did they stay in character? did you like cullen's strategy?


	19. Chapter 19

Haha... Chapter 19 took a bit longer than usual, but it's ready now... Thank you all for your patience and of course for all the reviews...

Here we go... I hope you'll like it...

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Chapter 19:

The kiss was long and tender and Booth felt a warm feeling starting to spread inside him.

After they broke apart, he whispered: "I'd die for you."

She gave him a stern look and answered: "You proved that point already, Booth. I know you would. But I would never forgive you for leaving me."

"I am here. I am not going to leave." He answered and caused her to chuckle. "Easy for you to say that... you are not even able to leave this bed yet."

He smiled a sad smile. "Yeah... I'd rather be in my bed at home... preferably with you by my side."

"Patience is a virtue, Booth." She answered with a smirk, her voice teasing.

His answer was a long yawn.

Immediately the expression on her face changed to concern: "You are tired... I should leave, you need to rest."

"No. Don't... don't leave, Bones. I can rest better with you here." He pleaded, his brown eyes full in 'puppy-dog' mode.

She shook her head in amusement, though his words had made her stomach flutter a little.

"Oh, you should get that look patented... Okay, okay, I am going to stay a little longer." Once again, she tried to get herself in a more or less comfortable position, her head resting on the mattress of his bed.

"I could try to move aside a little... there would be enough room beside me for you." He suggested, craving the warmth and the feeling of her body beside him. He was a bit disappointed when he saw her shaking her head.

"No, Booth. I don want to jostle your ribs or hurt your back. And besides... what if I fall asleep ... your family is going to come back..." She objected.

"Bones... my parents are aware I am a grown man... and my Dad once surprised me in a far more embarrassing situation than with a fully clothed woman just lying beside me." Booth sounded amused.

"It's not about your parents... but... I don't want to confuse Parker. And I don't want to hurt your injuries, okay?" She said, squirming on her chair until she felt more comfortable.

The fact that she had thought about his son's feelings made him speechless for a moment. "Thank you." He finally said.

"Huh? For what?" She mumbled in surprise.

"For thinking of how this would look like to Parker. You have no idea how much it means to me, that you think of my son..." His voice trailed off.

"He is a very important part of your life. And I like him. He should get the chance to get accustomed to the thought that we are more than friends... It would not be fair to just confront him with it like that." She answered seriously.

"You are an amazing woman." He whispered softly, overwhelmed by her obvious concern for Parker.

"Thank you". She said through a stifled yawn. "I am also a tired woman... You should sleep and I'll try to nap too... Oh, and one day you are going to tell me about that embarrassing situation."

He nodded with a smile and his hand moved to her hair, stroking it gently. "I hope I am not going to wake up and this was just a dream."

She whispered. "Sleep, Booth. I am not going anywhere." Her soft voice lulled him into sleep quickly and she followed soon after him... After all she had had a rough night with not enough sleep and bad dreams.

* * *

Twenty minutes later a nurse peeked into the room and a gentle smile appeared on her face when she spotted the two people. She had known that the woman that had hurried into the room some time ago – his partner, she had been told – had not left yet. Now she knew why.

Her patient obviously felt comfortable, since he was the one lying in the big, soft bed... his girlfriend however– because who else should she be, surely not just a partner – was entitled to wake up with a sore back from leaning from her chair onto his mattress in an awkward way for too long.

But young love did not care about uncomfortable chairs and stiff backs. So she decided to let them sleep for a little longer... after all, she only had to check if her patient needed anything... And she had to admit, he looked pretty content, a small smile curving his lips and his hand placed possessively over one of his girlfriends breasts.

The nurse chuckled inwardly... The big question was, if he had placed his hand there consciously or not. And if he was going to get a lecture when she woke up or not. Oh, it would have been tempting to stay, but she had work to do. She stifled a sigh and quietly closed the door again.

* * *

A sound evaded her mind... something that sounded like a cat, purring.

It purred and stopped... and purred and stopped. Odd behaviour for a cat, a voice in her head commented. And what cat? She opened her eyes and after a moment of confusion she figured out where she was and why. When she heard the sound again, she suddenly knew what it had to be: Her cell phone... obviously she had activated the 'mute'-function.

'That has to be Angela!' She thought and tried to sit up, but something was holding her back. Her gaze fell to Booth's hand, which was boldly cupping her breast. She shook her head, blushing a little. 'I have to thank Angela... that would have been embarrassing if his parents and Parker had walked in on him groping me'.

She could only imagine, what kind of questions Parker would have voiced after seeing this. And shuddered.

Carefully, she lifted his hand and placed it beside him. Then she rose, avoiding every sound. Her phone, which was somewhere in her bag, had stopped to vibrate. She knew, he needed his sleep, so she decided to leave his room to call back Angela.

After closing the door behind her, she stretched her back, which hurt from the uncomfortable position she'd been sleeping in. And she did not care the least bit... because finding out Booth was going to be okay and that he returned her feelings had been worth a little pain.

She looked at the display of her phone, as she had expected, it had been Angela. A wave of guilt hit her... she should have called Angela and told her Booth was alright instead of falling asleep next to him. She sighed and pressed the speed dial button.

"Sweetie? Where ARE you? I tried to call you three times. I was worried." Angela's voice really sounded worried and Brennan's feeling of guilt deepened.

"I am sorry, Ange. I am at the hospital... I had problems to get to Booth, but finally I was able to see him. He is okay, Angela... he's going to be alright. They even removed his tube earlier and he can talk... his voice is a bit rough, but other than that, he's fine." She quickly reported.

"Oh, that's great news, Sweetie... so... you've been talking?" Angela's worry quickly gave way to curiosity.

"Yes." Brennan answered.

"Bren! Don't say just yes, spill, what have you been talking about? Did you kiss?" Angela's voice sounded agitated now.

Brennan smiled. "We talked a lot, Ange... I am not going to tell you everything. And yes."

"What, yes?... Oh, yes... oh my god, you kissed? How was it... Oh, that's great, that's great. Did you tell him, how you feel?" Angela asked, very excited.

"Yes. I told him. The kiss was... amazing, Ange. I... He feels the same... he did for a long time." She finally said.

"I told you so." Brennan could nearly hear Angela's grin.

"I know... I am sorry I never believed you, Ange... But now... everything's going to be alright. I am so glad I finally know he is okay. His parents were supposed to call me, but his father thought I was FBI too and so he just informed Cullen... but he apologised..." She was interrupted by Angela's squeal "What? You met his parents? How are they?"

"I just saw them for a few minutes... I'll see them later again, when they come back with Parker. They went to the zoo." Brennan answered.

"Good. Can we visit Booth?" Angela asked.

Brennan thought about it for a moment. "Maybe in the evening? Or tomorrow... he still needs to rest, you know."

"And you want to spend time with him alone... Something I totally understand. Well, just greet him, okay? We'll come tomorrow then... And you are going to celebrate with me tonight! You owe me at least one drink, cause you never believed in what I told you!" Angela stated.

Brennan smiled. "Okay. As many drinks you want."

"Don't say that! You know how such things end!" Angela giggled. "Go back to your FBI hunk... smooching helps to recover, you knew that?"

Brennan laughed. "I don't think that's statistically proven... but I'll give it a try. Bye, Ange."

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Okay, I hope you liked it - please let me know... I thought it might be nice to bring a bit of humour into it now... ;)


	20. Chapter 20

Hello again! Happy New Year, everybody!!! Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews!

These past few weeks were pretty busy, but I managed to write this update yesterday, ... so here we go, I hope you like it... It takes place immediateley after Chapter 19 and the phone conversation between Brennan and Angela.

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Chapter 20:

Careful to be quiet, she slowly opened the door to Booth's room again. When she looked at him, she suddenly knew there was no need to be quiet. He was awake... and looked surprised and relieved, when he saw her. 

"You're still here." He finally croaked out.

She gave him a puzzled look and while she moved closer to the bed again she asked: "Yeah, sure... why should I not be here?"

Booth frowned a little. "I thought you sneaked out while I was sleeping..."

"I did... But just to answer the phone... Angela called...The squints send their greetings." She answered.

He nodded and after a moment he added, smiling wryly: "I thought you... left." They both knew he meant leaving ... as in running away.

She shook her head and smiled patiently. "Why should I, Booth? I am not... just going to change my mind. You're stuck with me now."

Her words made him grin. "Good. I like to be stuck with you." He winked at her and took her hand in his. "Did you sleep well?"

She lowered herself on the chair beside his bed and answered: "Surprisingly well, yeah. My back hurts a little... but other than that, I slept well. And what about you, Booth? Slept well?" The way she suggestively waggled her brow told him, that she was referring to something. But what?

"Yeah." He answered hesitantly.

"Really? You did not wake up?" A sly grin crept on her face, when he shook his head. "No... why? Why do you ask?"

"Because... your subconscious obviously lets your hands move." She grinned at him, enjoying the puzzled expression on his face.

"What are you talking about?" Booth asked.

Her grin widened. "You were groping me!" She said in an half-teasing, half-accusing tone.

"What?" He gasped.

"You had your hand right here." She covered her breast with her own hand.

His eyes followed her movement and his breath hitched... this was turning him on. He was lying in a hospital bed, and his fully clothed partner – girlfriend, he corrected himself mentally – was touching her – by at least two layers of fabric covered – breast and he immediately responded. God, talk about men needing less stimuli than women. He swallowed hard. Intoxicating, that's what she was. He wanted to know, what she looked like underneath her clothes, wanted to feel her bare skin. He wanted to spend a whole week with her in bed. Minimum.

He shuddered a little and forced his gaze away from her cleavage to her face. She was smiling at him, clearly amused... but also a little flustered.

"This... is turning you on?" She asked after a moment. "Oh, yeah." His response was uttered in a husky voice and made eyes widen a little.

She quickly dropped her hand. "Well, then we should talk about something else."

"Why?" He asked, his eyes focussing on her lips now. When she nervously ran her tongue over them, his pulse picked up a bit again.

"Because we can not... satisfy our biological urges right here and right now... So... we should talk about something else." She quickly answered, avoiding his eyes.

"Satisfy biological urges? Well, I won't deny I would love to... get some satisfaction, but it will be definitely more than just that between us two." Booth murmured huskily.

"I know." She whispered back, taking a deep breath. "And that's why we are going to do it right. Not here and not now."

He smiled at her words... so she had just used her scientific mumbo-jumbo talk to distance and distract herself from her own arousal. Nice to know that.

"You are right. But hey... don't blame me, you brought the topic up." He winked at her, when she met his gaze. She frowned. "Keep your hands to yourself then, and we can drop it."

"Mhm... drop what?" Booth asked distracted.

"The topic!" She gave back sharply.

"Right... right... I .. Sorry for ... No I won't apologise. I mean, look at you... you are gorgeous, you can't blame me for wanting to touch you. My subconscious just has less self-restraint than me." He grinned at her.

"Thanks... I guess." She gave back after a moment. "But imagine your parents would have come in... "

Booth chuckled. "At least you were not naked."

"Of course not!... Why would I... What... you mean you're father walked in on you while you were having sex? That's the embarrassing situation?" Her eyes widened.

Booth blushed a little and murmured. "Not exactly. Hmmmm... you don't know the movie American Pie 2, do you?"

She shook her head vigorously. Not a big surprise, he should have known.

"Well, there's this very embarrassing scene right in the beginning, when the Dad walks in on his son and a girl having sex. And he does not even have the decency to leave, no he starts to talk to them... then the mother of the boy follows and afterwards even the parents of the girl appear. We will watch it someday...but you will have to shut your brain off." Booth grinned at her and she just rolled her eyes and gestured for him to continue.

"It was not that bad when my dad walked in on me and Carol... but it was still embarrassing as hell. Okay... I was... seventeen and my parents were supposed to be on a trip to the lake. My elder brother had already joined the Army, so he was not at home either... So... well, Carol and me... we were in the garden, naked... you know, it was hot and we used the hose as shower... And that's where my dad surprised us, when my parents came home earlier because my mum had a bad sunburn. And just like that jerk in the movie he did not just leave, no, he asked me since when I was dating that nice girl and what her name was and so on. I mean you've met him, my dad... "

"Has no social skills." She supplied with a smile.

"Exactly. Carol hid behind me, we were both totally embarrassed too but he was not. Said that nakedness was something very natural and so on." Booth shook his head.

"Well, it is." Brennan interrupted.

"Sure it is. But not if you are seventeen and making out with your sixteen-year old girlfriend and your dad wants to explain to you how perfectly normal all this is." He shook his head. The memory always made him shudder.

Brennan grinned. "What happened?"

"Well... I yelled at him and he finally went inside... Carol got dressed, cursing me and my brilliant ideas and left. She broke up with me a week later. Dad apologised after Mum nearly chewed his head off. But I don't think he really understood how embarrassing this was for me. My brother Jared brings this story up often and always thanks God it happened to ME and not to him."

Brennan shook her head and smiled at him. "Poor Baby."

"Oh, I am over it, but it's not a happy memory." He sighed and squeezed her hand and silence settled over them.

"Why didn't they lock the door?" Brennan suddenly asked.

"What?" Booth looked at her, utterly confused.

"In the movie. Why was the door not locked?" Brennan asked, frowning a little.

"Oh, I am not going to tell you. We will watch it. All three of them. You will have plenty of things to complain about, the films are utter nonsense, but even you will laugh, I promise." Booth smiled at her.

"Okay, someday we will watch these movies." Brennan nodded slowly. "But when I take you home I don't plan on wasting time with watching movies."

"No?" He asked amused.

"No." She confirmed.

"Good. We already wasted enough time." Booth stated and squeezed her hand again.

"Yeah, we did." She gave back and smiled at him. Then she suddenly moved towards him and captured his lips in a passionate kiss, that sent shivers trough him.

"Wow... what was that for?" He asked, when his breathing had slowed again

"If you can touch my breast while I am asleep, I can kiss you whenever I want." She explained seriously.

"Sounds fair." He smiled and cupped her face with one hand, slowly running his thumb over her lower lip. "I think your kisses work better than the pain killers."

"So Angela was right." Brennan smiled at him.

He rose one brow questioningly. "She said that smooching helps to recover." Brennan added.

"Prove it." He whispered when he gently pulled her a little closer.

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Reviews are definitley appreciated!!! Thanks a lot! 


	21. Chapter 21

Hi sweeties! Thank you all for your reviews!!! I know it took me longer than planned to update this fic, but here we go now... finally the next chapter is ready...

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Chapter 21:

A knock at the door startled them and Brennan quickly pulled back. The door opened and Parker Booth raced in, followed by his grandparents. A knowing smile tugged at the lips of Booth's mother, but she did not say a word... Which would have been impossible anyway, because Parker's merry voice filled the hospital room only an instant after he had come in.

He told his father about the animals they had seen and Brennan found herself enjoying the little boy's report. Parker's words suddenly were stopped by a big yawn.

Booth smiled at his son. "Tired, buddy?"

Parker shook his head, but another yawn betrayed him and he sighed a "Yes... but only a little."

"Only a little, hm?" Booth grinned, when he saw how Parker started to play with a strand of his hair. He had always been doing this when he had become tired, even as a baby. "So you had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa?" Booth asked, his voice gentle.

"Uh-uh. But I want to go to the zoo with you too, Daddy." Parker said, giving his father a pleading look.

Booth ruffled his son's hair and answered. "We'll do that, when I am out of here, okay? Maybe Bones can come with us? Then you can ask her questions about the animals, I bet she knows all the answers..." Booth smiled at his partner and took a moment to admire the stunned and nearly shocked expression on her face.

"Okay... how come she knows so much, Daddy. Is she a ...a...striver?" Parker asked curiously, eyeing Brennan with new interest. Mary Booth tried to hide the grin on her face and quickly turned away.

Booth laughed, then grimaced as he felt a wave of pain. "I bet she was very good at school, Parker. But you don't call people strivers, okay? You can say that she is really smart."

Parker smiled widely. "Okay, Daddy. But, Bones, what do you do if you don't know the answer?"

Brennan looked stunned for a moment, then she smiled at the boy and said: "I just keep looking until I find it, Parker." Her gaze wandered to Booth and she saw in the look of his eyes, that he had caught the double-meaning in her words. She always kept searching... kept looking, both in her private and her professional life. And that was one of the many things he admired about her.

Booth's parents had been watching the scene... Mary Booth with a knowing and understanding smile on her face, while Robert Booth tried to stifle a yawn.

"Looks like we are all tired." Booth's mother said and grinned at her husband. "It was nice seeing you again, Dr. Brennan... maybe we will meet again tomorrow? We are going to stay in DC until Tuesday." Brennan nodded. "I'll be here tomorrow."

"Thanks Mom, Dad, for taking Parker to the zoo and bringing him here. " Booth said. "Oh, and Mom.. on the nightstand is Rebecca's mobile. She must have lost it, when she visited me with Parker... they found it in my room at the ICU. Can you give it to her?"

"Of course. I will make sure she gets it." Mary Booth took the phone and threw it into her purse.

"Oh, dear... now it's lost." Bob Booth murmured sarcastically, watching the phone disappear in the depths of his wife's bag.

Mary gave him an annoyed look. "Very funny. Our son asked ME to take it and give it to Rebecca, because YOU would manage to make a muddle of it. Again."

"Just because I made ONE mistake..." He gave back, only to get interrupted by his wife's statement: "Yeah, a HUGE one."

Booth and Brennan watched the bickering in silent amusement. "Daddy?" Parker suddenly asked. "Why do Granny and Grandpa argue?"

"The more you tease, the more you please, Bub. You'll understand when you are older." Booth answered, smiling broadly, his gaze on Brennan. An understanding smile appeared on her face. They both were thinking of their own endless bickering.

Mary Booth laughed out loud, when she heard what her son had told Parker. "You remember that?"

Booth winked at his mother. "Sure. You know, I've got a reminder around."

So, her suspicions about her son and his feelings for his 'work partner' had been right, Mary Booth thought, a satisfied smile on her face. "Do you now? That's good, Seeley... really good."

Temperance Brennan and Robert Booth exchanged a look of confusion. "What was that..." they both started to ask but stopped instantly, when they realised they had been speaking the same words at the same time. Astonished they exchanged another look.

Mary Booth just waved it off. "I'll explain it to you, Bob. Later... Because I think we really should take our grandson home before he falls asleep."

"Right." Booth's father said. "See you, son. Try to stay out of trouble until tomorrow." Then he looked at the woman standing beside his son. "Until tomorrow then, Dr. Brandon."

"Brennan, Grandpa." Parker corrected in a tired, somehow resigned voice.

Brennan chuckled and offered him her hand. "Call me Temperance... or Tempe."

He took it and shook it briefly. "Well, I am Bob."

"And you can call me Mary, dear... " Booth's mother added and smiled at her.

"And now, we are going to leave. Parker is tired and visiting hours are nearly over anyway. And I am sure Rebecca will be glad to have her son and her phone back."

She opened the door and motioned for Parker and her husband to come with her. Before the door closed behind them, Robert Booth's voice rumbled: "And what was that about before, Mary?"

"Yeah" Brennan watched the door close and then looked at Booth. "What was that about before, Booth?"

"That" he said, giving her his best charm-smile "was my mother approving of you and me."

Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. "You needed her approval?"

"No." Booth gave back. "Even if my parents would not like you, it would never change how I feel about you. But it's nice to know she likes the idea of us being together, isn't it?"

Brennan nodded in understanding. "But you don't know if your father likes me, do you?"

"Oh, trust me, Bones, you two will get along just fine..." Booth grinned. At least his father now had somebody he could share confused glances with.

"If you say so." She gave him a puzzled look, but accepted his statement. "Well... I guess I have to go now, too. Visiting hours are nearly over... and I promised Angela to buy her a few drinks... she wants to celebrate... this." She gestured between Booth and herself.

"What, this?" Booth feigned ignorance.

"The you and me thing." Brennan explained, smiling wryly. "She said I owe her at least one drink because I never believed her, when she told me ...that you..." Her voice trailed off and she smiled sheepishly.

"That I love you." Booth completed. "Well, she was right. Tell her one of the drinks is my treat."

Brennan snickered. "I already told her she can have as many drinks as she wants."

Booth winced. "Oh-oh. These things never end good."

She smiled, ignoring his comment. "I love you too." Then she stepped closer to him to press a kiss on his lips. "I'll come back tomorrow. And Angela and the others probably too."

"Okay. Have fun. Oh, and Bones... take care of yourself." Booth squeezed her hand gently.

"I will try. To have fun AND take care, I mean. Sleep tight." She smiled at him and her heart warmed at the look of love in his eyes. She gave him another quick kiss, then she left his room, both feeling sorry for being forced to leave him and also looking forward to spending the evening with her best friend.

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Okay now... As many people asked for, Parker and Booth's parents appeared again ;) Next chapter should be about Ange/Bren... I think... We will see ;)

Reviews make me very, very happy!!!


	22. Chapter 22

Hi sweeties! Thank you all for your reviews and for being so patient... I really try to update regularly, but since I have so many ongoing fanfics it's hard sometimes... thanks to you, who still read my stories!!!

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Chapter 22:

When Temperance Brennan entered the Jeffersonian, she somehow felt like everybody was watching her, something that made her feel uneasy. She had been at her apartment after leaving the hospital and had changed into something a bit fancier... after all she was going out with Angela.

She glanced down at herself... was her neckholder top too revealing? No, that could not be the reason for how people stared at her. She often wore things that accentuated her curves... after all, she was a woman and she liked to feel beautiful and desirable.

Of course, the anthropologist in her told her, that females dressed up for males... to gain attention. Well, that could not be true for her... at least not today.

The one male who's attention she desired was lying in a hospital bed and not going to see her. She only dressed like that to feel good.  
She mentally shrugged her thoughts away and strode into the lab.

"Sweetie!" Angela exclaimed when she saw her and hurried towards her best friend. She hugged her tight, then held her at arm's length. "You look great. Nice outfit."

"Thanks... so nothing's wrong with my clothes...?" Brennan asked.

"No, not at all... why?" Angela asked, eyeing her friend more closely.

"People stare at me, Ange." Brennan told the artist in a low and confidential tone.

"Yeah, and I know why." Angela grinned. "You smile."

"I do not..." Brennan stopped, realising she may have been smiling all time. "Oh... okay, I smile... but that's no reason for people to stare at me like this. As if I never smiled before."

"Bren, you're not the giddy-smiling type – usually. That's fine. But right now you have the one hundred wattage smile on. You practically have "Happy" written all over your face." Angela beamed.

Brennan frowned. "This is not..."

"Possible... blah-blah. You look happy ... people are not used to that. But it suits you... so put away that frown again and tell me about how you confessed your love to Booth." Angela linked arms with her best friend and dragged her towards her office.

"Angela... " Brennan attempted to protest, reminding her that now that she was here at the lab, she could at least check her e-mails... but then she decided to go 'with the spur of the moment' as Angela called it.

When they finally sat in her office, she told Angela everything, not just the short-version she had delivered via phone. When she reached the point where Ms. Chewing Gum told her she could not see Booth, Angela swore loudly. "What's wrong with those people? Didn't she see you were desperate?"

Brennan shrugged. "I bet she enjoyed it."

Angela shook her head. "What happened then?"

Brennan smiled at her, a little embarrassed. "I yelled at her until... the security men dragged me out of the hospital."

"WHAT? The security dragged you out? Oh, Bren..." She shook her head, simply not believing how Brennan managed to end up in situations like that. "And then?"

"I heard somebody shout my name... Parker saw me." Brennan smiled, when she recalled how relieved she had felt, when she had been looking up to Booth's father and son. "They told me his room number and ... well ... there he was."

Angela admired the content and happy smile on her best friend's face. "Don't stop here, I want to hear it all, Bren..."

So Brennan told her how Booth's father had messed up – and how Booth had reacted. "Awww, he knows all your phone numbers... that's just too sweet." Angela commented.

When Brennan told her how Booth and her had been talking, confessing how much they meant to each other, kissing, Angela's eyes filled with tears, her heart full of happiness for her best friend and Booth. She sobbed and reached for a handkerchief, dabbing her cheeks and by the sounds Brennan was making, she did the same.

Fancy seeing her like that... all mushy and emotional.

Dr. Saroyan chose exactly this very moment to walk in... she stopped dead when she saw them sitting on the couch, both of them sniffling in handkerchiefs with tears in their eyes.

"Oh my God." She exclaimed. "What happened? Something wrong with Booth?" Her eyes darted from Angela to Brennan and back. Then she saw the smiles on both their faces and the expression of her face shifted from worry to confusion.

"Are... those happy tears?" She managed to ask. When both women nodded enthusiastically, she relaxed, but she could not help herself, she simply had to ask: "Okay. So, once again: What happened?"

Brennan and Angela exchanged a look and Angela shrugged. "Tell her. Get used to it, Bren."

Temperance Brennan looked at Cam, biting her bottom lip, not knowing how to approach the subject. After all, her boss was his ex. How... uncomplicated.

"I've been at the hospital to see Booth." She started, carefully weighing her words. "And... he is recovering pretty good."

A sly smile appeared on Cam's face, when she saw how Dr. Brennan – of all people – was flustered enough to stumble over her own words.

"What are you trying to tell me, Dr. Brennan... just shoot." Cam encouraged her.

Brennan drew in a deep breath, then she blurted out. "We are a couple now."

Cam feigned ignorance. "You and Angela?"

"What? NO! Me and Booth." Brennan corrected quickly.

Dr. Saroyan grinned. "And it was about time!"

Angela and Brennan exchanged a quick glance. "You don't mind?" Angela's curiosity won over.

Cam shook her head. "As long as Seeley and you manage to keep your hands off each other during work... not like other couples." A meaningful glance towards Angela, caused Brennan to grin. "Hey." Angela protested

"Seriously," Cam continued. "I knew Seeley cares about you a lot. I am glad to hear it's mutual... He deserves it. And you do too, Dr. Brennan... Well, I guess I'll better leave you to your... moment again." She smiled at them again, then turned around to leave the office.

"Wait... Cam?" Brennan stopped her. "Angela and I... we are going out now. Celebrating. Would you like to join us?"

Cam looked surprised but pleased. "Yeah. That would be nice." A smile spread over her face and she realised, this was the first time she really felt as if Dr. Brennan considered her a friend.

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Okay, I know this was a shorter one, really not much more than a filler, but I felt Bren needed to tell Angela about these things... Next chapter should be about Ange/Bren/Cam going out... 

Please let me know what you think!


	23. Chapter 23

Hi again... it took me a little longer than planned, but here is the update!!!

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Chapter 23:

Angela smiled happily. She was sitting in a bar, with Brennan by her side, drinking a cocktail and simply having a good time. Cam had been sitting with them until a handsome young man had approached them, asking if one of them would like to dance.

Brennan and Angela both had shaken their heads, but Cam had accepted. Brennan had to admit, the man looked really good and seemed to have good manners. But she was not the least bit tempted to dance with him.

"You know, one of the nice side-benefits of being in a happy relationship is, that it makes you generous." Angela smiled at Brennan.

Her best friend glanced back at her in astonishment. "What?" She had to raise her voice to compete with the noise in the bar.

"That guy Cam is dancing with. If I would not be happy with Jack, it would be me dancing with him right now." Angela explained, winking at her.

"So it's only thanks to your generosity that he is dancing with Dr. Saroyan? I don't think so. She looks good and she is intelligent." Brennan gave back, watching her boss ... or the glimpses she was able to take of her, when she reappeared somewhere in the crowd of dancers.

"You know, I was joking. And that guy does not dance with her because she is smart, Sweetie." Angela yelled back, shaking her head at Brennan's serious reply. "What's wrong? You are not as happy as you're supposed to be." She leant towards Brennan.

Her best friend shrugged, observing the other people in the bar, a cheerful and noisy mix of people.

"I don't know. I'd rather be with Booth now, I guess." Brennan admitted reluctantly.

"Awwww you miss him already? That's sooo sweet, Sweetie." Angela gave back, grinning broadly.

Brennan's eye brow rose at Angela's slightly slurred ..'sweet, Sweetie'.

She had to smile... Angela had had five drinks already, and every time the barkeeper had placed a new glass in front of her she had called for a toast "to my best friend and true love" or similar. Brennan had more or less enjoyed the evening so far, had talked to Cam, who – after a few drinks – had not very subtly implied that Booth was going to make her a very, very happy woman. Huh. Such conversations simply SHOULD not take place.

Temperance Brennan had blushed a little at those words, but since Cam had not said anything more, she had decided that it did not have to be awkward... as long as she did not let it get awkward. Logical? Not much... but Brennan knew, that now, since she was going to be in a relationship with Booth, logic would sometimes elude her. If less logic was going to be a bad thing, well, she had not decided that yet.

So, her evening had been nice enough. Or it should have been. But somehow, she longed only for one thing... for being with him. The recently discovered feelings for him and the fact that he returned them was still so fresh and thrilling she wanted to savour it, treasure it….. indulge in it. She never had felt like that before… For all she knew, the feeling might go away, when she was not paying attention.

She just wanted to snuggle up next to him... simply be with him. Okay, she admitted to herself, she really wanted more than just that... but – against popular believe – she could be patient when it came to satisfying her biological urges. The mere thought of how her nightlife was – hopefully soon – going to change, made her pulse quicken and she felt how her face went a bit hot.

She stole a quick side glance at Angela, who was watching Cam on the dance floor. Thankful for the distraction her boss provided, Brennan delved deeper into her fantasies about her relationship with Booth. It took some time, but her mind finally left the bed room and settled upon other things.

Things that would get complicated, possible threats to a relationship with Booth. This called for a mental list.

First hurdle: Her past….. He knew more about it than anybody else since she had given him her parents' file to work on... and still, he accepted her with all her scars and bruises as he had called it. He even had said he respected her father, which was more than she had felt for Max Keenan at that time.

Work?... Well, at least HER boss seemed to get along pretty well with the idea of her and Booth being together. Brennan watched Cam laughing and moving on the dance floor and smiled... Pretty well, indeed.

What Cullen was going to say... now that was going to be a different story altogether. But she would make it clear to him, that if she was not allowed to work with Booth, the FBI could not count on her anymore. There was always Zach. She had to grin, picturing Zach instead of her, chasing suspects with Booth or another agent. No way Cullen was going to let that happen, was he?

And... she still had a bone to pick with him... Smuggling in Freeman like that…. In case Booth's assumption was correct. – which she was convinced of.

Her friends? Well, obviously, they had been waiting for her to 'hook up' with Booth... no problem there.

His family? Brennan had to smile when she recalled her two brief encounters with Booth's parents. They seemed to be nice people, loving parents and grandparents... and it seemed Booth's mother had known pretty much about her already... and still accepted her. Even approved of her, if Booth's interpretation of her words had been right. And Brennan liked Parker and Parker seemed to like her too... which was important. Parker was Booth's son and she knew that it would hurt Booth if she and his son would not manage to get along. Maybe she should read something about children of that age?

And maybe buying a TV would be a good idea…

She sighed, brushing the thought aside for the moment. She would ask Angela about that. Brennan even opened her mouth to do so right then and there, but then she caught the suspiciously tipsy look on Angela's face, while she was singing along with the song that was just playing. Hmm, better wait until she was sober again…that might increase the chance for the advise being actually applicable.

Back to her list. She shook her head…. how could she even try to make a list on something like that.

Fact was, Booth knew her and he had told her he loved her. He even had said, she had no flaws... which was ridiculous, because nobody was perfect. Although she had to admit, Booth was as close as anybody could come to being perfect for HER.

Oh, they were always bickering and they often disagreed, she just had to remember their conversations about religion. But life was a challenge... and she always had loved challenges. So, loving Booth was going to be her new challenge. A gentle smile curved her lips at that thought... she could live with that.

Her best friend's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Bren!" Angela punched her playfully. "Stop thinking! We are here to celebrate and you are all broody and moody." She shoved a glass with colourful content in Brennan's hand.

Brennan eyed the glass suspiciously. "What's that?"

Angela grinned broadly. "Sex on the beach... That's all I can offer. I am sure you'll get the real thing, as soon as Booth is out of hospital."

Brennan shook her head and smiled at her best friend. "You are incredible."

"That's why you love me, Sweetie." Angela chuckled, raising her glass. "To you and Booth, Sweetie."

"To you and being right!" Brennan gave back and smiled at the artist. Maybe, she would be able enjoy the rest of the evening, too.

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please let me know, if you like it!!!


	24. Chapter 24

Hello sweeties! I know I have abandoned this story for a pretty long time and I am sorry.

The big nemesis of all writers – namely writer's block – held me hostage for some time. After my – narrow escape – I tried to find the reasons why it got me in the first place. And I think the fact that I had too many fanfictions going on at the same time had something to do with it. So, I decided to concentrate on The Collector for some time, but now this chapter for Don't be scared simply asked to be written... So here we go!

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Chapter 24:

Brennan woke with a groan. She forced her eyes open, soundly cursing Angela and the cocktails she had made her drink. She just was not used to that stuff... she occasionally drank beer or wine, but not cocktails, which tasted harmless, but were stronger than she had thought. Sneaky little bastards.

She glanced at her watch and her eyes widened. It was already 10:00 in the morning... and she had wanted to be at the hospital... well, at least an hour ago. Ah, well... it was not like Booth was GOING anywhere. She smiled to herself, while crawling out of bed. Well, he HAD told her to have fun... but that still was no reason for wasting time now.

She hurried to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, trying to get rid of the after-effects of the previous night. Then she turned on the shower and since the water needed some time until it was warm enough for her to step in, she hurried into the kitchen, to gulp down a glass of orange juice and quickly eat a cereal bar. She was quite sure Booth would not approve of that kind of 'breakfast', but she was not going to tell him.

Fifteen minutes later she was dressed and had just finished her make-up... and she was rather proud she had managed to get ready that fast. Brennan quickly put on her coat and grabbed her purse, looking forward to seeing Booth again.

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Another fifteen minutes later she waltzed into his room to find him chatting with a pretty nurse. The nurse greeted her with a polite smile and placed a tablet with pudding in front of her partner, her smile turning into something less polite and more alluring when she looked at him. Which went unnoticed by Booth, who looked at Brennan for a moment, then his face suddenly bore a big grin.

"Somebody had a long night?" He asked teasingly, winking at her, a split-second after the nurse had left the room.

She mumbled something incomprehensible and hurried to his bed, placing a kiss on his still grinning mouth. "Mhm. Good morning to you, too." He mumbled. "Is there more where that one came from?"

"Plenty." She said, but pulled back a little to inspect his face. "You're feeling alright?"

He nodded. "I hope they will let me out of here soon. I don't think I can stand this for long."

"What this? Getting pampered by smiling young nurses, who shower you with the hospital pudding you seem to be so fond of?" She asked, teasingly.

"Oh, I will miss the pudding, alright... but I'd rather get pampered by you, you know?" He grinned.

She huffed a little at those words and answered: "You know I am not very domestic. If you think I will fetch you beer while you're watching TV, forget it!"

He shook his head and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone "I am not talking about spending time in the living room, you know?"

"Oh." She made and a lazy smile showed on her face. "Are you not? Well, I think I already established that I don't want to waste any more time. So we have this settled... " She winked at him, but then her face was serious again. "But you will have to be careful... you can't overexert, you had serious injuries, Booth. You need time to heal."

"Well, maybe you will have to pamper me a little bit after all." He smiled, but when he saw her still serious face he added. "Aw, come on, Bones. Talking about it doesn't hurt. Can't I have a little fun? After all I am not the one of us two who went out... for the most part of the night, I guess?"

She shrugged. "You told me to have fun." Her tone was defensive.

He laughed a those words. "Since when do you actually do what you're told?"

She frowned a little and he smiled again. "Hey, I am glad you had fun. Where did Angela drag you?"

"A bar downtown... I forgot the name, but it was pretty crowded. Seems to be a highly frequented place by singles on the look-out for company."

"Uh-uh. Do I have to be jealous?" Booth asked, joking.

"Alpha-male." She shook her head. "You really have such a bad opinion of me?"

"It was a joke, Bones. And a little jealousy can add... spice to the relationship." He smiled again and took her hand in his.

Brennan rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You won't need spice, you've got me." She explained and gave him a pointed look.

His eyes widened a little, both a the promise hidden in her words, but also at what she had been saying, the phrasing. "I've got you?" He repeated. She nodded.

"What about all that feministic stuff, like, uh... women don't belong to men, blah-blah." He asked.

"Booth! I never said I belong to you." She snapped, glaring at him.

He grinned broadly and quickly said. "Yeah, well... I belong to you. You can do whatever you want with me." He waggled his brow and his naked toes in the same rhythm and the childish look caused her to laugh.

"Easy for you to say." She chided. "There is not a whole lot of things I can do with you now."

"Kissing? Cuddling?" He suggested and when she did not immediately respond he proceeded to the next level and used his special weapons: Puppy dog eyes and charm smile... the deadly combination.

She watched him and smiled again. "You know, eventually one day pulling this face will stop working. What are you going to do then?" Despite her words she inched closer and he looked into the depths of her blue eyes, murmuring a husky. "I'll find new things to persuade you."

"Uh-uh. Show me." She whispered before closing the remaining distance between them and claiming his lips in a long and passionate kiss, which they only broke when they heard a noise from behind Brennan.

"To my defence, I knocked... twice, I might add. Guess you were... too preoccupied to hear it." A female voice came from the doorway, amusement clearly audible.

Brennan turned around to face her boss. "Hi, Cam." She said and Booth simply had to admire that she managed to act as if the situation was NOT awkward. He however found it pretty strange to talk to his girlfriend's boss... who was his ex.

"Uh... hi, Camille." He said, meeting her gaze for the shortest time span possible.

"Don't call me Camille, Seeley." She countered, still smiling. He was astonished to see that she seemed to be genuinely amused and not surprised by the fact he and Bones had just been kissing in a pretty un-partnerlike way.

"Uh... Cam... we..." He started, but she waved him off.

"Tempe and I talked already." She said, and the few words left Booth gaping at her, his mouth open. "Since when do you use first names?" He managed to ask after a while.

"Oh, since we celebrated half the night that you two are a couple now." Cam grinned at him.

Booth's gaze wandered from her to Brennan and back to his ex. "You... talked. Ah, what did you talk about?" He asked after a moment, worried what topics might have been brought up by their alcohol-induced minds. 'And don't forget to add Angela to that picture, he reminded himself', suppressing a shudder.

Cam grinned again and said: "Ah, you know, girl stuff. Not particularly interesting."

Booth's eye brow rose and he gave Brennan a questioning look. She smiled too and confirmed. "No, not interesting at all."

Booth's eyes widened a little and after a moment he slowly said. "This is scary."

"What?" The two women asked in unison.

"You two fraternising against me." He explained and Cam laughed. "Oh, poor baby. You had that wild fantasy of us two having a cat fight over you? Sorry to disappoint you. I am so over you."

"Speaking of which... how did you enjoy your company yesterday night? The guy you've been dancing with?" Brennan asked curiously, effectively ignoring the slight blush Cam's words had left on Booth's cheeks.

Booth gazed incredulously at the two women and then gave the infusion of pain killers near his bed a doubtful look, wondering if the medicine had caused his brain to hallucinate or if indeed his girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend were standing in his hospital room, busily chatting about the guy Cam had been dancing with the other night.

A small smile crept on his face, when he finally decided that it had to be the latter.

Despite the fact that Cam's mentioning of a cat fight between the two of them had left a very vivid and interesting picture in Booth's head, he was glad that Brennan's boss was accepting the change in their relationship so casually.

Now he could only hope that HIS boss was going to react well to the news too. But something told him, that Cullen was not going to be inclined to buy him a drink upon hearing that he and Bones had finally 'hooked up'.

* * *

Please tell me what you think about this chapter... I would also like to know if there are still readers interested in this story out there ;)

Thanks a lot!!!


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